An Ending for a Beginning
by Lyvance Callele
Summary: He was undoubtedly wrong when he told her they could just see each other if they missed one another: seeing wasn't good enough. Five years after Hitomi's return to Earth, she wonders if Van would ever want her back in Gaea just as Van wonders if Hitomi would ever want to be with him for good. Then he gets a vision of her clad in a gown and holding a bouquet of flowers...
1. Chapter 1

_So I re-watched the series and it inspired me to write my version of the story's ending. Hope you like it!_

* * *

Hitomi stared at the woman staring back at her from the mirror: long blond hair in cascading waves to frame her face, adorned by a hair piece of pearls and white roses. Her face glowed with a touch of makeup, and her flowing peach off-shoulder gown emphasized the curves she had grown in the past five years. Hitomi almost didn't think it was her. She smiled. She had to admit it felt good to feel beautiful even just for a few hours.

It was Yukari and Amano's wedding: a formal ceremony before her best friend would join Amano overseas for a scholarship of her own. She was both happy and sad at the thought that Yukari was leaving: happy that they would finally be together for good, and sad that she wouldn't have her by her side anymore. Yukari assured her nothing would change between them but Hitomi knew something had to so she could focus on the family she would have with Amano.

Hitomi sighed. Family. A lot has changed in the past years. His brother had progressed in his studies. Her parents had started prodding her about her non-existent love life since Yukari was getting married. And soon, she would have to make a place of her own in the world - a family she would spend the rest of her life caring for.

Van's face flashed in her mind, his subtle smile filling her with warmth. She couldn't believe how long they had shared the bond they started five years ago. Instead of losing that attachment, she longed for him more. And despite only seeing phantoms of him - images of him here and there doing what he was doing whenever she thought strongly of him, she loved him more instead of forgetting him. She considered diverting those feelings to someone else, but the guys Yukari had her date always seemed to be too this or not enough that; too unlike Van, and not enough like him. At one point, she realized that her plight was akin to moving on from a greatly treasured relationship: somewhat hopeless and painful.

The sting of the loneliness would hit her, and an image of Van looking at her with worried burgundy eyes would appear in front of her. The intensity of his concern would sometimes make her hear his voice echoing inside her head: "Hitomi?" It was enough to calm her, comfort her, and assure her that he was there loving her despite the distance and making the impossible possible.

Still, thoughts of her having to marry someone from Earth haunted her. She figured as the days turned into months and the months turned into years that she would be like her grandmother, marrying a man of Earth and settling there with only memories of Gaea. It filled her with dread and sadness. She could only imagine herself with Van; waking up next to him, bearing his children, and growing old with him. Anyone else in that perfect picture tore her heart to shreds. Then Van would worry, his worried form manifesting out of nowhere to ask her what was wrong.

She shook her head and took a deep breath to calm herself. She couldn't have Van notice her anxiety, at least not yet. She wanted to surprise him. Despite growing her hair long as she grew more femininity, she kept her tresses in a neat ponytail partly to make sure Van recognized her despite the change. Van himself had grown manlier, taller and slightly brawnier possibly due to his active participation in rebuilding Fanelia. He hadn't grown a beard or even a stubble unlike his father which made him appear youthful despite the physical change.

Hitomi bit her lip, wondering what his reaction would be once he sees her in the bridesmaid attire - hair down, make up on, shoulders flaunted, and her curves accented in the right places. Would it stun him enough to want her back in Gaea?

Most of her insecurities and anxieties came from the fact that she hadn't gone back to him, even just for a quick visit. Seeing him here and there was good, like Yukari and Amano's Skype conversations, but the physical contact mattered too which was why Amano went back to Japan several times to be with Yukari. Part of Hitomi hated herself for not staying in Gaea but another part of her reminded her that they needed to grow apart. Her role outside the Mystic Moon was finished and it was time they applied what they've learned from that journey into their separate lives.

If only she had another role in Gaea...like a devoted companion to Van?

She frowned. Van was royalty. His companion would most likely be queen. And with Fanelia recovering its glory, the country would likely call for a sense of stability: an assurance that there would be a leader from Van's bloodline who would maintain if not grow Fanelia's glory. She had read enough royal history and watched enough documentaries to know that it meant marriage: forced or agreed upon between royalties of different countries.

Had Van been offered a bride? Had he taken it? Would he take it?

…Another sting she had to push down before Van noticed. It was instances like these when she longed for him the most; the only thing keeping her from wanting feverishly to return to Gaea was a sickening feeling that Van may not need her as much as she did him.

She stood up, practiced a warm natural-looking smile on the mirror and decided she would focus on her bridesmaid duties first. She would make Van fall head over heels in love with her later. She tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear before prancing out the door of her hotel room to tease Yukari and make her best friend blush for her walk down the aisle.

Van felt his heart swell just a bit: a hint of excitement that made him smile. Hitomi was in a good mood. He had been worried in the past months that she had been shifting from anxiety and fear, reflecting the same emotions he had been trying to suppress.

He was undoubtedly wrong when he told her they could just see each other if they missed one another: seeing wasn't good enough. He had yearned to touch her in these past few years: feel her warmth against his skin, drown in the scent of her hair, and savor the way her arms wrapped around his torso when they rode Escaflowne across Gaea's blue sky. Thoughts of her would haunt him throughout the day; his only relief the apparitions of her that came when he wished hard enough to see her.

Rebuilding Fanelia had been a good distraction. He learned a lot from the people: their needs, their dreams, and what kind of leader he should be for them. He had also been busy with re-forging the alliance in cooperation with Asturia and Freid. The fall of Zaibach exposed the greed and fears of nations and it crumbled the foundation of the previous alliance. With diplomacy lessons from Asturia, enlightened advice from Freid, and help from Dryden's web of connections and economic control, a new alliance was born. New peace treaties were signed, better trade agreements were forged, and collaboration amongst nations were initiated.

And to celebrate the fifth year of the new alliance, it was agreed that Fanelia would host its annual summit hence Van's busy schedule. It was the day before the formalities and guests from across Gaea had arrived for the welcoming feast. Along with the summit was an annual sports event, one of the many practices that Van initiated which was inspired by conversations she had with Hitomi. Apparently, people of the Mystic Moon held athletic events where nations battled in a healthy and friendly competition. Van figured it would be a good way to use the pent-up energies and tensions incurred from the war. They had various sports events ranging from jousting to sprint, Hitomi's sport — Van mused with a warm smile. Each year, new events were included to cater to skills and talents from various nations. It urged collaboration between nations, spreading and preserving ancient arts and practices for more Gaeans to appreciate.

Nations bid to host the event every year because it brought in tourists and heightened commerce. It allowed them to showcase their wealth and resources, inspiring other nations and widening their connections. This year, it was Fanelia's time to shine: to show Gaea the leaps and bounds it had made since its recovery and exhibit its beauty. Van had been especially busy with promoting the schools they established in Fanelia — another idea inspired by Hitomi. He opened the doors of Fanelia to Gaeans willing to learn about history, swordsmanship skills, and nature. The dragons were no longer just frightening keepers killed for royal rituals. They were part of Fanelia, protected and understood.

Van tried to read the paragraph of the diplomatic letter he held in his hand for the third time as he sat in his study: an indication that he was too distracted by other things to fully focus on his task. Beyond the flowery words of gratitude and honor were hints offering him the hand of Basrum's princess in marriage. Other nations had done the same with the exception of Asturia and Freid. He sighed and put the letter down imagining how much Merle would fume at the offer. She had grown into a lady cat, but her temper brought back her youth. She seemed to hate just about any woman who expressed interest in marrying him, probably because like him, she was hoping Hitomi would be his queen. She even did her best to keep Selena away from him whenever she came to visit with Allen or Gaddess for swordsmanship training.

Selena seemed to have recovered and adapted to her surroundings in the past years, though once in a while they would catch her staring fixatedly at a bug, inwardly debating if she should grab and eat it or not. Allen has had his hands full with her and his duties in Asturia which effectively kept him from the market, as Merle explained. Despite the distance between the two nations, Selena seemed to develop an attachment to Fanelia. Van mused that it was because of the schools and the dragons which she had been fascinated with as of late but Merle said she had developed a bit of a crush on him, hence the monthly visits.

Van dropped the letter on his desk in defeat; leaning his head back against the plush leather headrest of his chair. It was mid-afternoon and his mind was just too distracted to focus on anything.

"It's not going to stop you know," Merle's voice purred from the window, catching his attention. She was apparently seated on the window sill, her tail flicking teasingly behind her. "They're going to hound you until you pick one of them to marry. The only way to get rid of them is to get hitched."

"To Hitomi," Van read the implied continuation of the statement from her sharp reprimanding gaze. He sighed.

Merle jumped off her seat and walked to his desk, slumping over the chair in front of his desk. "Do you even have plans to?" she prodded with a hint of impatience. "You honestly can't tell me you're fine with living the rest of your life with just apparitions of her. I bet she wants to be here with you too."

"Maybe," Van said, staring out the window to catch a faint glimpse of the Mystic Moon. "I hope."

"Did you even ask?"

Van turned to her. "You know it doesn't work that way." It took great passion and concentration to send even just one word from him for her to hear. A full-blown conversation across dimensions wasn't something they had experienced in the past years; just feeling the other's presence and hints of their emotions complemented with clear images of one another.

"Then use another way!" Merle snapped.

...Which meant "fly to the Mystic Moon like last time". Van crossed his arms over his chest. He had thought of doing so several times: flying toward the sky with his white wings, fueled by nothing but a fervent wish to be where she was. He ended up wondering how Hitomi would receive the sudden visit. What if the timing wasn't right? What if she wasn't ready to see him, let alone go back to Gaea with him?

"Are you really going to be fine with her getting married to someone else?" Merle asked.

Yes, he had thought of that question many times. And though it hurt, he always told himself he ought to be ready for it: open, understanding, accepting. Hitomi was from the Mystic Moon after all and marrying someone from there should be normal…probable.

Before Van could answer Merle, she stood up and headed to the door. "Fanelia is fairly stable now, Lord Van. That is why all these royalties are offering you their daughters," Merle said. "You have more free time now: no more excuses." She walked out of the room leaving Van to heave a heavy sigh.

"Hitomi?" he inwardly called, asking her in his thoughts if she still would like to live in Gaea with him and their friends; if she would be willing to be his queen.

"Oh Hitomi, am I doing this right?" Yukari asked for the fourth time as they stood before the doors of the hotel function room. The wedding march was about to start and the bridesmaids were lining up.

Hitomi chuckled and gave her best friend a tight squeeze. "Can you imagine anyone else in the world aside from Amano marrying you?"

"No," Yukari answered sighing in her white laced sweetheart neckline wedding dress. Her hair was kept in a bun atop her head; curly locks of brown hair trailing down the side of her face just enough to accent her jaw. Hitomi smiled at how beautiful Yukari was with her flushed cheeks.

"Can you imagine anyone else living the rest of your life with?" she asked the bride again.

"No," Yukari answered, looking at her with renewed confidence.

Hitomi nodded. "Now let's put that veil over your face," she said fixing Yukari's veil.

"I want you to have your own version of this, Hitomi," she said before Hitomi could walk to her place for the procession.

Hitomi blinked at her before smiling. "Don't worry about me."

"But you're not even giving anyone a chance!" Yukari protested, hinting at the number of blind dates she prepared for Hitomi; all of which were unsuccessful.

"Oh Yukari, I'll be fine."

"Which is why I had Aki invited," the bride said, smiling widely as if she successfully completed a difficult mission.

Hitomi gawked at her. "You didn't!"

Aki was...the only blind date of hers who she became friends with. Unlike most of the guys Yukari introduced to her, Aki didn't come across as someone immediately interested in her. He wasn't afraid to argue with Hitomi and he didn't do things to please her all the time Hitomi had to admit that he reminded her of Van, and not just because he had dark unruly hair. It was the way his brown eyes burned with passion and determination whenever he was doing something he wanted to complete or trying to convince someone - her, most of the time - that he was serious about something.

At one point, she imagined herself marrying him. It felt okay and sad at the same time: okay because he wasn't that bad as a person, and sad because at the end of the day he wasn't Van.

Hitomi shook her head. "Be grateful it's your wedding day," she teased Yukari before standing in line for the wedding march.


	2. Chapter 2

"Lord Van!" Allen greeted as he crossed the hall to meet the Fanelian king who had been checking with he guests in the ballroom in preparation for the feast.

Van turned to him, a relieved smile on his lips. It was always great to see a friend in the crowd of strangers. "Sir Allen Schezar," he greeted back as he shook his hand. They always used formalities when in formal events, more to tease each other than show utmost respect for one another. Allen was clad in the new knight uniform of Asturia which was still blue but finally rid of the puffy sleeves, thank the gods. It was one of Dryden's ideas in reforming the kingdom beside Millerna.

"I hope your trip went well," Van said, donned in his royal robes for the occasion: a scarlet robe over the blue tunic top and dark pants, all of which were embellished with gold accents at the hem and collar. A deep green turtle neck undershirt with silver embroidery on the collar made him look exceptionally formal for the occasion. Even his black boots and sword's metal embellishments shined under the warm lights of the ballroom. The only thing that remained true to Van's personality was his dark unruly hair.

"Yes, and as always I thank you on behalf of the Crusade for the warm welcome and accommodation," Allen replied. Van always had them occupy the guest villa whenever they came to Fanelia, which was often only done to royal visitors.

"You do the same with me when I visit Asturia so let's just say we're even," Van replied.

Allen smiled. He wanted to say Van was royalty unlike the Crusade but he knew Van would insist so he let it go. He instead looked around the mob of guests from different nations. "You've got your hands full," he muttered, seeing as the crowd filled almost half the vast ballroom hall that was often used in official town gatherings.

Van gave a resigned sigh. "Yes, but I also have plenty of help from everyone." His castle attendants were already serving guests, escorting them to seats and offering them drinks while they wait for the program ceremonies to begin.

Allen gave him a sidelong glance. "With marriage proposals too, I heard."

Van frowned. "I'm not the only bachelor in the alliance, aren't I?"

"Yes, but you did save Gaea: the dragon who flew across the sea of anarchy bringing forth peace and a new age," Allen answered like it was enough of an explanation for the number of proposals Van was receiving.

"That again," Van muttered. Myths about the end of the war were born from stories of the soldiers who survived, effectively changing the reputation of Draconians from cursed beings to saviors sent by the gods. Even Hitomi's name had been spread across the land as a blessing. There were even groups who tried to build temples under her name. It took him a while to convince them not to do it because he knew if Hitomi was there, she wouldn't like it.

"And with Hitomi seemingly having no plans to come back soon, they are getting more confident that you will take a Gaean bride," Allen went on.

Van shook his head. After sending Hitomi back, he was given the next few months to grieve for a broken heart: everyone expecting him to be with Hitomi after saving the world with her. A year later, neighboring nations hinted on possible marriage proposals. Van turned them down in favor or rehabilitating Fanelia but with his country fully on it's feet, Merle was right: he had no more excuse to give.

"You never really tried?" Allen asked.

Van took a deep breath. He suddenly wondered if Allen's questioning was the start of a long line of inquiries from the rest of their friends about getting Hitomi back, and if this was something they had planned before coming to Fanelia. "Would you be opposed to me marrying Selena?"

"Please, Van, not you too," Allen said groaning, though he knew the king wasn't serious about it. "I'm still in the process of accepting Gaddess' fondness of her."

Van chuckled. He and Merle had suspected the existence of the man's blooming affection in the recent visits Selena had with him as escort. They figured Allen would be devastated if he learned about it because of his apparent sister complex. "Gaddess seems to genuinely care for her," Van assured.

Allen nodded. "Give me a year...or a handful more."

Van laughed. Gaddess would have a long road ahead of him.

The welcoming banquet began on the scheduled time with Van giving a speech. They then proceeded with dinner, cultural performances from artists in Fanelia, and more socialization time with the crowd as the floor was opened for different dances.

It was nice to see Millerna and Dryden dancing on the floor like a real husband and wife. It took a while for them to reunite but Van realized now that the distance was something they needed to form the kind of bond they now shared. The idea left him wondering about Hitomi again and he had to shake his head to divert his attention.

He then found Merle dancing with a young cat man with white skin and orange hair, Vestris. He came to Fanelia three years ago in search for a new home. Like Nariya and Eriya, he was orphaned by humans in Zaibach. Surviving in the woods and getting caught in the line of fire in the war, he tried to help wounded soldiers in the aftermath. Upon hearing about Fanelia's acceptance of Merle, he journeyed into Van's kingdom and helped with the renovations.

As much as Van wanted to be strict about the kind of relationship Merle was having with Vestris, the king found the cat man amiable, courteous, responsible, and loyal. If there was anyone who he thought was worthy of protecting Merle for life, it was him; though he would never openly admit it...yet.

Merle was giggling happily as they twirled on the dance floor, Vestris in a toothy grin. If she was aware of Vestris' obvious adoration for her, Van wasn't sure. But she often spent time with him, dragging him into town to do chores he wasn't expected to do whenever Van was too busy to be with her.

Van sighed. Even Merle's lovelife was better than his own.

He then felt stares directed at him and found a group of ladies glancing shyly at him. Van knew from experience that it was a sign that they had intentions to approach him and unfortunately for them, he was _not_ in the mood.

Van slipped carefully away only to be blocked by a group of merchant girls wanting to ask him for a dance. He was taught at an early age how to do it, but he didn't feel like sharing the ballroom floor with anyone so he politely declined the offer and navigated through the crowd until he reached the balcony; the fresh evening breeze relieving the tension within him. It was in these instances of stress and loneliness when he strongly wanted to see Hitomi: to be by her side instead of with a group of politicians or aspiring brides.

So he saw her, bless the gods. And to his surprise, she was clad in a peach flowing dress that hugged her so well he envied it; her long hair trailing in graceful waves down her shoulder; and her face glowing with happiness and pride as her hands held a bouquet of white flowers.

For a moment, he thought the curve of her tempting supple pink lips was for him: that she was there for the affair answering his hopes and dreams. But no...she wasn't there and his heart sank at the realization.

He remembered a conversation Merle and Hitomi had about weddings before Millerna married Dryden. Hitomi said brides in the Mystic Moon walked to their betrothed with a bouquet of flowers in their hands.

Suddenly the various change in emotions he sensed from her in the past months clicked into place: the sadness, the longing, then the excitement and happiness, back to sadness and regret... In those sad smiles she gave to assure him she was fine, had she hinted that the time he dreaded had come? That tonight, she would wed a man of the Mystic Moon and keep Van as nothing but a memory...an apparition...a phantasm...a dream...

A tear streamed down Van's cheek as he imagined her standing next to a faceless man; his chest burning with a pain that rivaled that of losing his loved ones forever.

He was wrong yet again. No, Van would never be open to, nor even attempt to understand or accept Hitomi's marriage to another. He would not be comfortable with being just a memory, not when every fiber of his being screamed that she was real and out there within his reach.

Not unless she told him it was the end. Not unless he hears her say it out loud in front of him.

* * *

Hitomi smiled as she watched Amano and Yukari dance for the first time as a married couple. She was so happy for them and she wished with all her heart that their union would last forever.

"Didn't realize you were a romantic," she heard someone say from beside her in the table. The timber of his voice reminded her of Van but she knew it was Aki who Yukari assigned to sit next to her for the wedding reception.

She stared at him for a moment, his dark hair and smirk reminding her of the Fanelian king she longed to see. Like Van, his skin had been kissed by the sun from playing soccer for his school's team. His eyes were ebony but as round and as expressive as Van's. She had to admit he looked good in a tuxedo. The handful of times she met her, he was either in his soccer gear or in his school uniform - his coat always draped over one shoulder to expose the white buttoned shirt that he wore with his slacks.

"Is that wrong?" she asked, regaining her sanity.

"No, I'm just...amazed that I learned something new about you," Aki explained, his eyes crinkling in a hint of delight.

Hitomi nodded, trying to ignore him. She knew if she said another word that he would try to engage him into another conversation - his way of getting her attention. It usually ended with an argument: one where she is left upset or frustrated and him entertained. Yukari would always tease them saying the more Hitomi hated him, the more she was actually developing feelings for him.

Which was downright incorrect, really. There was only one man for Hitomi and he was sadly a dimension away.

"Let's dance," Aki declared, already up from his seat and taking her left hand with him as he trudged through the crowd of couples already in the dance floor.

"What?! Wait! That's not how you ask someone to dance!" she protested as Aki half-dragged her to a spot under the crystal chandelier overhead.

With a toothy grin, he placed her left hand over his shoulder and gently put a hand on her waist. "I wasn't asking."

Did Hitomi mention he was a jerk too? "You _should_ have though!" Hitomi protested.

Aki laughed, his laughter reminding Hitomi more of Van as his free hand took hers.

She resignedly sighed when she caught sight of Yukari behind Aki. The bride was giving her a thumbs up; Amano looking apologetically at her. As much as the groom didn't want Hitomi to be forced into a relationship, he could do nothing against his beloved, now, wife.

"You really don't have to do this just because the bride told you to," Hitomi said, still eyeing Yukari.

"I know," Aki nonchalantly replied.

Hitomi stared at him, waiting for an explanation as they lazily swayed to the playing waltz. None came. For a moment, she marveled at how tall he was - her forehead reaching his chin. "Why are you doing this then?"

"Because I want to," he said smiling at her as if it was enough of an answer.

Another awkward pause. "And why would you want to?"

"I enjoy your company, Kanzaki," Aki responded, his dark eyes suddenly warm with a hint of satisfaction.


	3. Chapter 3

She blinked, the line making her heart flutter a bit. Aki was as smooth as Allen when it came to flirting with women. "You're flirting," Hitomi pointedly said.

"And you just noticed that now?" Aki asked, giving her another lopsided smile.

"I hope you notice I'm not interested," Hitomi replied.

"The point of flirting is to change that perception," Aki retorted.

"And it's not working."

Aki snorted. "You can't possibly tell me you don't enjoy talking to me," he said. "I mean you look far livelier now than when you were just watching the bride and groom."

Hitomi opened her mouth to argue otherwise but realized he was right. She did enjoy his company, his teasing, their arguments… It was like she was with Van again, that passionate, hard headed prince of Fanelia.

And it hurt... It hurt because he wasn't Van, there was no one for her other than Van, and she was losing hope of ever being with Van.

"I look like him don't I?" Aki asked, catching her off-guard.

Hitomi's freen eyes went wide. Did he read her mind?! "W-what do you..?"

"You stare at me a lot and you seem to be comfortable around me than with other guys," Aki explained. "At first I thought you liked me, but whenever I tried to get close, you pushed me back. And it's not the playing-hard-to-get rejection. It's a genuine no-thank-you rejection. Still, your eyes would look at me as if you miss me. Pretty confusing until I figured you might have had an ex-lover."

Hitomi smiled, impressed at his deductions. "Heard it from Yukari too, huh?"

Hitomi had mentioned Van to Yukari, though not so much about Gaea, Fanelia, and Atlantis. Those things she shared with her mother who surprisingly didn't doubt her, probably because she knew about the mystical trips her grandmother had when she was young. Her mother had also expressed her openness to whatever decision she would make in the future: to move to Gaea with Van or stay on Earth; as long as she would find a way to visit them often enough and constantly stay in touch.

"The ex-lover part, yes," Aki admitted.

Hitomi nodded.

"Cheat on you?" Aki asked, a hint of innocent curiosity in his eyes.

"No, no messy thing like that," she answered. "At least none that I know of yet," she mused. Was she even entitled to accuse him of cheating with this inter-dimensional relationship they had?

"How did it end then?" Aki prodded.

Hitomi looked away in thought. How should she explain it?

"We agreed to live separately," she began. "Since we were too young to take things seriously, and he had other things that he needed to focus on." Like rebuilding a nation, she inwardly added.

Aki frowned. "That doesn't sound like enough closure to me."

Hitomi smiled. That was because there wasn't meant to be a closure; just a promise...that they would never forget each other no matter what. She sighed, eyes cast down to her glittery sandals. Damn it all, Aki was right. She and Van needed a decent closure — a clear line that said they were still officially together despite the distance or that they were supposed to look for other people to marry instead of each other.

"You love him that much," Aki said and Hitomi was both flattered and annoyed that he read her so easily. Yukari was right, Aki would make a good husband. He was the type who seemed to pay extra attention to the people he deemed interesting. How many times had he started conversations with her by giving her water or food when she was in great need of it?

Heck! He even accompanied her to the sports store that time when Yukari couldn't go with her because of a flu. He went there with her to buy a new pair of shoes but didn't end up buying anything. Hitomi realized later on that he already purchased what he needed a week before they went to the store.

If she wasn't so in love - or was it "hung up" - with Van, she might have considered his advances.

She smiled and looked up at him. She blinked then, realizing he had leaned closer to her face probably to read her expression better. She leaned away, a blush on her cheeks.

"I do," she said, turning her gaze over his shoulder and catching a glimpse of Van at the doorway of the hall clad in an elaborate set of clothes that she figured was the right attire for a Fanelian king. He was looking back at her with a stricken, heartbroken gaze: almost the same one he gave her after Allen took her first kiss.

Hitomi gasped, suddenly holding her breath and wondering if it was another apparition or not. She somehow couldn't feel any hint of thought or emotion from him unlike in the past instances when she saw him. Her heart was racing.

Could it really be him?

"Who's that?" Aki asked, breaking her musings.

"W-Who?" Hitomi asked back, anxiously looking at her dance partner.

"That guy in weird clothes at the door," Aki answered. "You were looking at him, right?"

"You saw him!"

"Y-yes? Am I not supposed to?" Aki asked, raising a brow at her.

Hitomi looked at Van again but he had turned to leave. "I have to go," she said, taking her hand back from Aki's grasp and sprinting to the door.

* * *

Van hated himself.

After seeing her looking like a bride, he climbed up the balcony, let his wings burst through his royal robes and prepared himself for flight. Merle caught him just before he jumped off the balcony: asking him what was going on and where he was going. He only told her Hitomi's name before flapping his wings and wishing with all his might that he be taken to where his beloved was.

The pillar of light didn't disappoint him. When it disappeared, he found himself under a night sky that cradled only one moon.

He looked around and realized he was in the middle of a garden: the bush trimmed to form pillars and rows against the bricks underneath his feet. It was unlike the place where he met Hitomi. Music from behind him caught his attention. He turned to see an enclosed structure, lights glowing warmly from its doorway. More tall structures surrounded the area but he felt compelled to inspect the one with the music first.

Just as he reached the doorway, he spotted Hitomi in the middle of what seemed like a small ballroom hall. A man in black clothes held her waist and hand as they swayed to the music. His jaw fell at the realization that the apparition didn't do Hitomi justice. Under the warm glow of the lights overhead, she radiated a beauty so breathtaking that his heart practically leapt off his chest.

When her dance partner - curse him - leaned in, hiding her from his view, he wanted to barge into the crowd of strangely clothed people and punch the man. Just as he was about do so, Hitomi came back to his view - face flushed and looking shyly away from the man.

It reminded him of Allen kissing her and it dawned on him.

The man he wanted to strangle now was Hitomi's groom: her husband, the one she walked towards earlier with a loving smile on her lips. What hurt him more was the reality that Hitomi married him for love. Merle was right, he waited too long and now…

He walked down the stone steps that led back to the garden: his chest burning with a pain he hadn't felt before, his body suddenly exhausted, his mind at a loss for what to do or where to go and how to live.

"Van!" her voice sliced through the murk filling his consciousness. He turned to her on instinct, eyes like a child whose hopes had been shattered.

Then her body slammed against his, taking him aback. Her arms hungrily wrapped around him, her heart thrumming wildly against his broken one. He gasped, regaining a reason to breathe and live. He embraced her back, burying his face in the crook of her neck and drowning himself in the scent of her skin and hair.

He breathed her in, felt her warmth claim his body as its own, and succumbed to the feeling of being one of the only two people who existed in the universe.

"Van," her voice touched his senses, the most addicting and intoxicating music in his ears. "You're really here. I'm not dreaming anymore. You're really here." Her voice broke and her breath was ragged. She was in tears.

Van was a fool. He was a fool for thinking that leaving her for the past years was the right thing to do. They could see each other anyway? As if that would ever be enough.

It would never suffice. NEVER.

He leaned away, eyes devouring how the top of her head only reached his chin and the tear-stained eyes that looked at him with longing. She wanted him too, didn't she? She didn't need that groom: she needed _him_!

Just as Hitomi opened her mouth to speak, Van cut her off; claiming her lips in a desperate kiss. She found herself gasping, making sounds she didn't think she would make in front of anyone, and surrendering to the kiss. This was different than the one she shared with Allen. This was intense, making her heart beat fast like she was running a marathon. It made her feel warm all over, made her want to get even closer to Van.

Van released her lips for a moment, letting her release a breath she didn't realize she was holding, before deepening the kiss and turning Hitomi's legs into jelly.

He leaned away again, his burning eyes devouring her dazed ones. "Come home with me," his voice deep with a hint of hunger and desperation.

The thought of being devoured by him oddly made her excited instead of afraid. She was about to answer when she heard the music behind them from the reception hall. She blinked, slightly clearing her mind of the haze that Van's presence cast upon her. She looked back at the hotel pavilion behind her. The music had changed into a lively one, reminding her that the next part of the celebration was about to start and she would be needed inside.

"Now is not a good time," she managed to say as she faced Van.

The words crumbled the hope that surged in his chest from the kiss. He bowed his head to hide his despair. He was too late. She had chosen to be with someone else after all. She must have realized the kiss was a mistake - running to him and holding him was a mistake.

Hitomi quickly held his face in her hands and urged him to look at her. "Please don't get me wrong, Van. You have no idea how much I longed to go back to Gaea with you. But it's Yukari's wedding and I promised to send her off before she left for her honeymoon tonight."

Van stared confused at her. "Yukari's wedding?"

"Yes, my best friend," she explained smiling warmly at him. "She was there when we first met. She married Amano tonight, that other friend of mine with me the night you and the dragon came here to Earth."

Van could only stare at her. He tried to recall their faces but five years had erased most of their physical features.

"I'm Yukari's Maid of Honor so I can't just bail out," Hitomi added.

"Maid of Honor?"

"Yes, it's like a handmaiden but only for one day and it's not as busy," Hitomi answered, trying to find the right words to explain it. "I mean I helped plan her wedding, organized her bridal shower, helped her pick her dress, organized the guests for this reception...but I didn't carry her things for her or dress her up." Just a little, she mused.

"But the flower bouquet," Van said, remembering how she walked with flowers in her hand.

"Flower…? Oh! You mean when I walked the aisle for the wedding procession. It's part of the ceremony," Hitomi explained until it dawned on her. She gasped. "You saw me!"

"Yes."

"And you came here because you thought I was getting married," she went on. She took a step back away from him. "I had to get married before you came for me?!"

Van winced and stiffly tried to calm her down. "N-no but...I um…"

Hitomi was glaring daggers at him now. If she had been cute when she was annoyed five years ago, she was beautiful and scary five years later. Hitomi dropped her hands to her hips and took another step away from him with eyes daring him to give her an acceptable explanation.

Van winced. "I admit I…didn't think you would still want to live with me," he said in defeat, whispering the last words in shame. "Five years is a long time," he added, looking up at her.

Hitomi raised her brows. Of course, she knew five years was long. And whose fault would that length of time be?

Van sighed again, bowing his head and scratching the back of his head; ruffling his already unruly black hair. "Whenever I sought for you, you were okay," he went on. "Whenever I asked, you said you were fine. I thought I… I thought you were enjoying your time here and that you would be happy to stay here."

Hitomi frowned at him, her eyes suddenly moist with tears again. "Did you not _feel_ me?" she asked and it broke Van's heart yet again.

Yes. Yes, he felt her. Still, he relied on her words. Why didn't she just tell her she wasn't fine? Why were women so self-contradicting?

Van took her hand and placed warm kisses on her knuckles. "I'm sorry," he said. If there was one thing Merle taught him about women, it was that he was supposed to always apologize first regardless if he thought he was right or not in an argument. "I'm sorry I doubted you."

It was Hitomi's turn to sigh. She shook her head and stepped closer to him. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you out right how much I missed you," she said, head bowed and almost whispering. "I knew you were busy rebuilding Fanelia, so I didn't want to burden you with my feelings."

Van looked up at her and smiled. She wasn't mad at him anymore. Once again, Merle's advice was right. Perhaps he really ought to make her one of his official advisers. He leaned in to claim her lips and Hitomi smiled, blushing as they kissed once more like lovesick teenagers.

Then she heard someone from the pavilion behind them call her name. She groaned as she halfheartedly leaned away from Van, ending the kiss. Van frowned. "I need to go back," she whispered but she let her hands remain in Van's grasp.

"Must you?" Van asked in an attempt to dissuade her.

Hitomi giggled. "Your highness, I am needed elsewhere," she teased. "But if your majesty can wait for a few more minutes — just enough for me to finish what I need to do — then I will gladly go home with you."

Van grinned. He had waited for five damn years: a few minutes was nothing. "I'll wait, but you're staying with me for the rest of the evening after this."

Hitomi laughed. "I'm all yours once I finish this, I promise," she said before turning away. She then realized something and looked back at him. "Van, would you like to come with me?"

Van blinked. "Me..?"

Hitomi nodded and shyly looked away – her face in another redder blush. "My mother…is inside."

Van's eyes went wide. Of course! If he was going to take her to Gaea for good, he would have to formally meet her parents and ask for her hand in marriage. He squared his shoulders, making sure he looked as regal as he could, then smiled at Hitomi. "It would be an honor."

Hitomi smiled at him and led him into the pavilion.

***  
Yukari invited Hitomi's mother for the wedding because in a way, she together with Amano shared a secret about her best friend – how she was spirited away into some unknown place only Hitomi could fully understand. She knew there were things Hitomi kept from her, like the world where Van came from and what transpired when she was gone. Her long-time friendship with Hitomi also forged a friendship between their parents so it wasn't odd that the Mrs. Kanzaki was invited to the affair.

Hitomi's mother sat in the table with other family friends of Yukari's. Yukari's mother moved to the group for some light conversation. While laughing at a joke Yukari's mother told, Hitomi's mother spotted her daughter walking in from the entrance way with a wary blushing face.

She frowned, wondering what was wrong when she caught sight of a tall man with tan skin following her daughter. He stood with a hint of pride and class despite wearing an odd ensemble that made it clear he wasn't on the guest list. But his eyes – were those red wine eyes? – were surveying his surroundings with a hint of weariness.

"Ooh! Now who is that handsome young man?" Yukari's mother asked, eyeing the visitor as did some of the guests in the hall. "He seems to be in the wrong venue."

"Perhaps he's lost," said another guest in the table.

But Hitormi's mother caught sight of the intertwined hands between her daughter and the man in question, and her jaw dropped at the thought of who it could be.

Was it possible? Could it really be him? And in this very occasion?!

Hitomi's wandering eyes caught her mothers and she gave her an apologetic smile.

"Hitomi's friend," Mrs. Kanzaki said before anyone else in the table could comment. "Please excuse me for a moment," she said, standing up from her seat. She crossed the crowd of tables and guests, careful not to show any hint of the anxiety filling her veins.

Van followed Hitomi's gaze in the crowd of oddly-dressed people and found a woman – a somewhat older version of his beloved – gracefully walking past the guests with a glint of curiosity in her green eyes. He stiffened, realizing this was Hitomi's mother and by the way she seemed to stare at him – at his soul – he could tell that she anything but pleased.

He felt Hitomi squeeze his hand. He noticed her hand was cold, probably much like his own. He didn't care much about being dressed differently from the crowd. He expected it. But seeing Hitomi's mother for the first time, and already giving her a bad impression of himself made him anxious.

"Hitomi," the woman said, eyeing her daughter with a raised brow. She was as tall as her daughter, but Van still felt nervous around her.

"Mother, can we talk outside for a bit?" Hitomi asked.

"Of course," the woman said, leading them both out of the hall.

It was probably the most nerve-wrecking set of seconds Van had ever experienced. They stopped just out of earshot from the guests before the woman turned to face the couple. "I'm assuming his name is Van," she declared to Van's surprise.

Van immediately straightened his back and bowed, taking the woman's hand. "Van de Fanel, Lady Kanzaki," he said. "It is an honor to finally meet you." He kissed the back of her hand in courtesy.

"Please, I'm no royalty," Hitomi's mother said before turning to her daughter. "Why don't you go check Yukari while Van and I talk?"

Hitomi's green eyes went wide. "M—mother…!"

The older woman raised her brows, daring her to question her decision.

Van felt the tension between the women and did his best not to wince. He instead squeezed Hitomi's hand. She looked at him, clearly worried at what was about to happen. Van smiled. "It's fine," he said. "Go see your friend."

"But…"

"Please," he said, knowing the conversation had to happen no matter how scary it would seem.

Hitomi frowned but nodded in defeat. She turned to her mother. "I love him," she boldly said.  
Van turned away, his cheeks burning as he felt his heart skip a beat.

"I know," Hitomi's mother said, unfazed.

Hitomi took a deep breath, squeezed Van's hand one last time before letting go and heading back to the ballroom alone.

Hitomi's mother cleared her throat.

Van took it as a sign to look at her and he did, taking in the white button-dress and pants she wore; her stance making her look ominous and regal despite having Hitomi's green eyes and soft flowing blond hair.

"You're here for my daughter," she began.

"Yes, ma'am," he replied.

She took a deep breath. "I don't care if you're a king in your world," she said. "You can't just come here and take her whenever you want."

Van bowed his head in defeat. "I understand," he said. "I'm sorry for coming at a bad time."

"A bad time? You call coming here after five years of leaving my daughter alone a _bad_ time?"

Van was taken aback by her question. He looked up to see anger in her eyes. He realized that facing his future mother-in-law was more frightening than any dragon in Fanelia.

She crossed her arms over her chest and glared coldly at him. Suddenly his title as king meant nothing. Then she uttered the words Van wished she wouldn't say.

"If you're planning to take her, I'm not allowing it."


	4. Chapter 4

Hitomi bit her lip as she anxiously stood near the entryway of the pavilion, repeatedly glancing outside to where she left her mother and Van to talk.

She couldn't understand it! She remembered the last conversation she had with his mother about Van. She had been so open and supportive! Why was she being so different now?

"If that will make you happy, I'll support you," she remembered her mother say that last time they talked about it. Granted that was around a year or so ago, could she really change her mind so easily?

Hitomi had imagined how Van would meet her family. It would be nerve-wrecking, sure but in the end she thought they would accept him. Her parents would be wary at first but they would warm up to him because of his sincerity. Her younger brother would like having him around as a big brother. Van wasn't some thug who they would be worried about, or a bum without any means of supporting her in the future. He just lived in a different planet and had wings, and they would understand it.

Okay, maybe she assumed things would go too smoothly. As a parent, she would have worries – concerns that she wouldn't outright voice out for fear of aggravating whatever pain her daughter was already feeling.

"Oh I'm an idiot," Hitomi hissed, covering her face with her hands in despair. She shouldn't have introduced Van after all. She should have just kept him outside to wait for her. Why did she have to be so excited about introducing him to everyone?

But she would worry if she just disappeared again. She couldn't let them go through all that anxiety again.

"Did you two have a fight?"

Hitomi yelped and turned to see Aki looking at her with genuine concern in her eyes. "Aki!"

He smiled. "Who else were you expecting?"

Hitomi shook her head. "It's nothing," she said. "I'm sorry I left you like that."

Aki shrugged his shoulders. "I get it," he said. "Did you catch him?"

"W—What?" Hitomi asked, cheeks flushed. Did he really see Van?

"That was him, right? The guy in weird clothes? Where did he come from anyway? A children's party?" he said, chuckling.

Hitomi frowned, miffed at him for demeaning Van. "An international summit," she answered. "He came to represent his country for an important meeting with other diplomats." Of course she made it all up but she couldn't just stand there and not defend Van. At the same time, she didn't want to explain everything to him. He wasn't a close friend of hers like Yukari or Amano were. He was just…

What _was_ he to her?

"International summit?" Aki asked, clearly doubtful of her explanation. "So you're actually in touch with each other."

"I—in a way," Hitomi answered, looking away.

Aki stared at her for a moment before smirking, opting to inquire about it later when she was more willing to talk about it. "I see you're into the tall, dark, and handsome type."

Hitomi looked up at him, confused at his statement. "What?"

Aki nodded toward the direction where Van supposedly was.

Hitomi blushed. "N—no, I'm not," she said. After all, neither Amano nor Allen fit the category. It just that she fell for Van and…well Aki reminded her of him. Not that she was at all interested in Aki.

Aki laughed. "Right," he said. "So this was what? A surprise visit? You didn't seem to expect him to be here? And if what you said is true, I find it odd that he would just barge in here like he sneaked out of his summit to see you."

"W—well he…he did just that," Hitomi resignedly said, whispering the last words in shame and looking away. Would Van really do something like that for her?

Aki shook his head. "You really love him, huh? I mean you're making up excuses for him. Are you even aware that you're doing it?"

Hitomi gawked at Aki. He noticed?! "I—I am doing no such thing!"

Aki sighed. "I guess we really are just fools when it comes to love."

"What is that supposed to mean?!" she snapped.

"So you don't love him?" Aki teased.

"I do!" she yelled, catching the attention of the people around them. She stiffened as she felt the stares from the people and bowed her head to them in apology.

Aki laughed. "Kanzaki, you make it so easy to fall in love with you."

"What the hell are you talking about?!" Hitomi snapped.

"Hitomi?" a woman called from behind her. Aki and Hitomi turned to see Hitomi's mother and Van walking into the venue, Van's cloak draped in his arm revealing the intricate silver embroidery on the collar and cuffs of his blue tunic.

"Mom!" Hitomi exclaimed before turning to Van and examining him for injuries. Her mom wasn't the type to hurt anyone physically but she could easily inflict injuries from her scolding. She didn't scold him, did she? Didn't her mother tell her that she understood the circumstances she and Van had?

Van gave her a reassuring smile as her mother smiled at Aki. "Aki, you look dashing in a tuxedo."

"You're too kind, Mrs. Kanzaki," Aki said replied. "Thank you." He turned to Van and smirked.

Van frowned, realizing this Aki person was the man who Hitomi was dancing with when he found her. He noticed how tan his skin was, his dark hair…

"Van?" Hitomi asked, suddenly in front of him and holding his hand. Her green eyes were searching his.  
He looked at her and smiled, squeezing her hand.

"Hello," Aki said, extending his hand to Van with a smirk on his lips. "I'm Aki Ito."

Van wore the smile he gave to diplomats and shook his hand. "Van de Fanel," he said.

Hitomi gave Aki a warning glare.

"Oh right," Hitomi's mother said before turning to her daughter. "Have you introduced Van to Yukari and Amano?"

Hitomi sought her mother's face for signs of the animosity she seemed to have against Van moments earlier but she found none. What exactly did she and Van talk about?

"Okay," Hitomi replied, nodding. "Let's go, Van," she said, wrapping her fingers with his.

Van turned to Hitomi's mother as if seeking her permission. The woman smiled in return.

"Lead the way," Van told Hitomi.

She led him away from the group, not quite sure if she should be happy with the kind of relationship her mom and Van seemed to have developed. It didn't take long before they reached the couple who were already on their feet as the host called out for the singles to gather at the center of the hall.

"Hitomi!" Yukari excitedly greeted.

Van watched the women laugh and hug each other as if they hadn't been together before the celebration began. He noted how different the woman's - Yukari, he supposed - clothes was. It was a fluffy white dress with lace and pearls. So that was what brides in the Mystic Moon wore in weddings. He was such an idiot for thinking Hitomi's meant she was getting married.

"It's almost time for the games!" Van heard someone from beside him say - a woman giddily conversing with another woman as they assembled under the chandelier.

He raised his brows at the commotion forming beside them. "Games?" he muttered. So weddings in the Mystic Moon had games. Did it involve sports they played like sprints or fencing? By the eager looks at the gathering women, Van couldn't help but think the games involved a match between females. But he couldn't see any tools they might use for the games, whatever it was.

Did it mean they were supposed to use their bare hands? Were they going to compete against each other in a battle of fists? What kind of gruesome attraction did the people of the Mystic Moon have in weddings? And why?!

He glanced at Hitomi, realizing that the woman gathering beside him seemed to include females around her age. Did that mean she was going to compete in the games?!

"Hitomi," Yukari said, noticing someone eerily familiar behind her friend.

Hitomi gave a rather tensed smile thinking there was a chance that they may not be as open to Van as she hoped. She pulled Van closer by the hand. "Yukari, Amano, this is Van."

Van gave them a warm smile and bowed his head in courtesy. "Van de Fanel," he said extending his free hand.

Yukari and Amano's eyes were wide as they took in his features. He looked familiar, and not just because he had the same tan skin and dark hair as Aki. It was as if they had seen him before. Then his clothes! Who wore knee high leather boots in the summer? In the city? At night? It was obvious he crashed the party but did anyone in their right mind attend an event dressed so...clearly out of place?

They exchanged curious glances and realized who he was.

"You're _the_ Van," Yukari exclaimed.

Hitomi held her breath. How would _they_ receive him?


	5. Chapter 5

Van blinked. _The_ Van? What exactly did that mean?

"Y—Yukari," Hitomi said, cheeks flushed.

Amano cleared his throat and shook Van's hand – a smile on his face. "It's been a while," he said grimly gauging Van's intentions. Five years was a long time and for him to appear now of all the times he could have reunited with Hitomi was not only odd but concerning. Why now? What did he want from Hitomi this time? Was he there to stay with Hitomi?

Van somberly nodded. "Yes," he said, looking uneasily away. He didn't know what to say. He was unsure of how much he could tell them or if he even should explain himself to them. "I'm sorry I came to your wedding without an invitation."

Amano saw the hint of guilt in Van and sighed. "Nonesense," Amano replied. "As long as you're here to make Hitomi happy," he prodded.

"Amano," Hitomi reprimanded, frowning at him.

Van smiled proudly at him. He turned to Hitomi – his eyes seeing no one else but her for a moment, and his lips in a pleased smirk.

Yukari studied Van's expression and glanced at Amano who was doing the same. He looked back at his wife and nodded. Yukari took a deep breath and smiled at Hitomi. "Well, as long as you're inviting us to your wedding, we're okay."

"W—Wedding?!" Hitomi stuttered, covering her scarlet cheeks.

Van smiled at the couple. "Of course."

Hitomi's eyes went wide at Van. Of course?! Was he planning to propose to her on the same night he reunited with her for the first time in five years? Would she accept? _Should_ she accept?!

"Alright, singles gather around!" the host of the event, a woman clad in a dress, called over the microphone.

"Ooh! It's time!" Yukari excitedly said, taking Hitomi's hand. "I love you, Hitomi but you I can only do so much for you so please catch it!" She dragged her to the crowd of women and winked playfully at Amano.

"W—Wait!" Hitomi said, struggling to go back to Van to brief him at least about what was going on. Her fingers slipped away from Van's as she turned back to give him an apologetic smile.

The Fanelian royal could only watch her curiously. A hand patted his right shoulder and gave it a squeeze. He turned to see who did it and found Aki smirking at Hitomi as he leaned closer to Van.

"If she wins this, you'll have to join us," he said.

Van only gave him a more baffled look. "What do you mean?"

It was Amano's turn to explain things to him. "My wife will throw her bouquet to the group of single ladies," he said just as Yukari took her position at the opposite end of the group of girls where Hitomi was in. "Whoever catches the bouquet is said to have their wedding next."

Van looked incredulously at Amano. "Is this like predicting the future?"

"Something like that," Aki answered, taking Van's attention.

Yukari turned her back to the group of girls and tossed her bouquet of white roses behind her. Van watched in surprise as the girls rushed to the flowers, Hitomi ending up squished in the middle of the commotion. Hands reached for the falling bouquet, only to bounce on arms and fingers until it landed in the open arms of Hitomi Kanzaki.

The crowd cheered. Men whistled and hooted. Van glared at all of them. What the hell were they doing?!

"Now it's our turn to play," Aki advised, patting Van's back.

Van looked at him. "We're going to run after the bouquet?"

"Nope," Amano answered, walking to the center of the commotion and meeting his wife in a quick kiss. The host had a chair placed in the middle and asked Yukari to sit there. The bride was blushing and looking shyly at the crowd as Amano knelt on one knee in front of her.

To Van's surprise, Amano lifted Yukari's skirt, his arms disappearing underneath the layers of cloth and lifting one leg of his bride. After seemingly slipping something off from the leg, Amano's hands slipped out of the skirt to reveal a small piece of garment – a frilly garter?

"Whoever catches that garter will have to slip that garter on Kanzaki's thigh," Aki told Van.

Van stepped angrily away from Aki. "What?!" he snapped, making Aki bite a snicker from escaping. What an indecent game! And there was no way Van was going to let anyone do such an…intimate thing to Hitomi.

"Van!" Amano called.

Van looked at him and found the groom pointing behind him to the now, group of guys eagerly preparing to catch what he was going to throw. The Fanelian king officially loathed this wedding game.

"Come on," Aki said, dragging Van to the group of men already trying to elbow the others away.

Hitomi was holding her breath as she gripped the bouquet tightly. Before Van arrived, she had no plans to catch the flowers. When he came, part of her wanted to catch it and when she did she felt elated. Then she realized Van would have to catch the garter too. As much as she trusted Van to love her and win a battle, she wasn't sure how he would fare in a game he wasn't familiar to. Did he even know what catching the garter would mean? She didn't even get to brief him!

Amano took one last look at the group of single guys behind him – Aki standing next to Van in the middle and winking at him in assurance. He smiled and turned his back on them.

Van watched Amano lower the hand holding the garter in front of him before tossing it behind him. The minute the garment reached the air, Van jumped to reach for it: his scarlet eyes burning with determination. Aki jumped as well, arms out to block any limb that might steer the garter's trajectory away from its target.

Hitomi winced, looking away for fear of seeing who catches it. She couldn't bear the thought of someone else slipping that garter up her thigh or giving that someone a kiss!

The garter snagged on a stranger's index finger but Van quickly snatched it, the momentum pushing him forward and almost toppling him over.

The crowd went wild. Hitomi wearily looked at the commotion in front of her and gasped as Van held out the garter in his hand: his cheeks flushed scarlet.

"Hitomi!" Yukari giddily shrieked, smiling excitedly at Hitomi and hugging her tight. "I'm so happy for you!"

Van turned to look at her and gave her an apologetic smile.

Hitomi smiled widely back at him, relieved that he caught it.

Amano patted Van's shoulder to congratulate him just as Aki took Van's free hand and shook it. He then ushered Van in front of the chair as Yukari had Hitomi sit on on it.

"Let me carry that for you," Amano said, taking Van's cloak and draping it over his arm. "Now all you have to do is slip the garter up her right leg," he continued, noticing how dumbfounded, nervous and confused the young man was as he stared at Hitomi. "Leave it on her thigh."

Van swallowed. "Up her thigh," he managed to mumble as he watched a blushing Hitomi take her place on the chair. Amano then patted his back telling him it was time. Van searched Hitomi's green eyes for an approval. Five years after reuniting with her, he got to kiss her for the first time and now _this_?! It wasn't healthy for his already speeding heart.

Hitomi shyly looked up at him and nodded, her heart beating faster than it did the entire night.

Van knelt down on one knee and shakily reached for the hem of her skirt; the hand holding the garment gripping it tightly. He took a deep breath to calm himself. Suddenly this was scarier than talking in front of all the diplomats in Gaea, facing Hitomi's mother, or fighting dragons.

Why were things in the Mystic Moon so much scarier than things in Gaea?!

Van looked into Hitomi's eyes, making sure he that he did only what she was comfortable with. Hitomi returned it with a warm smile. They ignored the cheers around them at that moment, focusing on only the two of them as if it was _their_ ceremony and _their_ celebration.

He gently lifted the hem of the skirt, slowly grasped her right ankle with his cold hands and slowly slipped the garter onto the pedicured toes peaking from her sparkly silver sandals. The crowd cheered louder as Van slipped the garter higher; eyes boring into Hitomi's and making sure her legs remained hidden from everyone else.

Hitomi swallowed as every inch of skin Van's fingers brushed over sent pleasant chills up her spine. She suddenly wondered how she would spend the rest of the night with Van and hoped that the celebration would end soon so they could run away.

Van slipped his fingers away from the garter, his arm hovering over Hitomi's warm smooth thigh under the covers of the flowing skirt draped on her legs and leaving the elastic piece of garment there. His eyes now feverish with hunger and longing still held Hitomi's: their faces now only inches apart. Van swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat in an attempt to hold his regal self together. Anymore of this and he would snap, lock his lips with Hitomi's, carry her out of the hall, and fly her back to Gaea.

"Kiss!" Yukari cheered, the crowd following suit and no longer caring if Van didn't seem like he was part of the guest list. They looked good together and they could feel the bond they shared in the way they looked into each other's eyes.

Hitomi shyly sunk her nose in the bouquet, making Van want to kiss her senseless. He opted to give her a warm smile and placed a warm lingering kiss on her cheek. Hitomi snuggled into the crook of his neck, inhaling his scent in a deep breath. "I'm so happy you're here," she whispered, her breath tickling his skin.

Van groaned against her hair, closing his eyes in an attempt to tame the urge trying to get a hold of him. "Hitomi, how much more should I wait?"

Hitomi snapped her eyes open remembering that they had a trip to the Mystic Moon after the celebration. She leaned away and kissed his cheek. "Just a bit more," she whispered before taking his hand in hers, twining her fingers tightly with his own.

They stood up to meet the bride and groom who hugged and congratulated them. What happened next was practically a blur to Van who was busy trying to be patient and cordial and in control of himself. From what he could recall, after another speech from Amano and Yukari, the newlyweds walked to a larger doorway in the hall with luggage towed by people behind them. Hitomi herself carried Yukari's luggage to a vehicle – a car, Hitomi told him – waiting outside. The two girls hugged each other tight, eyes teary and lips in a warm smile. Amano hugged Hitomi too, kissing her forehead affectionately in a brotherly manner before turning to his wife and surprising her by carrying her into the car. With a last wave of goodbye, the vehicle drove away – the guests cheering for them as they went.

Somewhere in the commotion, Hitomi ended up holding Van's cloak. She slipped her hand back in the comfort of Van's hand and they shared another look: one of relief and contentment.

"Go," they heard a voice say from behind them. They turned to see Hitomi's mother, eyes glazed but smiling at them. "We'll clean everything up. You two have a lot of catching up to do. You might as well start now," she said, winking playfully at Van.

Van smiled at her – cheeks red. "Thank you, Mrs. Kanzaki," he said.

Hitomi gawked at the exchange in confusion. Just what happened to the conversation between her beloved mother and the love of her life?

Van turned to her and nodded toward Hitomi's mother. Hitomi blinked and took it as a sign to say her own goodbyes. She quickly caged her mother in a tight embrace. "I love you," she said, closing her eyes to remember the warmth of the gesture.

Her mother hugged her back and kissed her hair. "I love you too," she replied. "Don't be a stranger and come visit, please. We still need to tell your father and brother about this."

Hitomi chuckled. "We'll come back, Van and I," she assured. After all, if that legend from catching the bride's bouquet was accurate, she would marry Van and it meant he would need to get acquainted with Hitomi's family.

Hitomi's mother glanced at Van.

Van nodded in support.

Hitomi's mother let her go, leaning away to look at her daughter. She had grown so fast. As much as she feared losing her, she knew Hitomi wouldn't be happy without Van – five years of seeing her lovesick and lonely was enough proof of that. "Off you go," she said.

Hitomi took Van's hand. "See you later!" she told her mother before the two of them headed back to the garden where they saw each other again after five years of longing for each other.

The minute they reached the spot where the Fanelian king landed, he held her tight in his arms. They closed their eyes, Hitomi reveling his warmth as she tucked her head in the crook of his neck. "Take us back to Gaea," Van and Hitomi whispered, echoing the fervent wish in their harmonized beating hearts. The pink pendant dangling from Van's neck glowed and the pillar of light responded to their call.


	6. Chapter 6

When Hitomi opened her eyes, she found herself still in the warmth of Van's tight embrace: a cool breeze caressing her exposed skin and dark trees surrounding them. Behind Van was a tombstone – Folken de Fanel's: the place where they promised to never forget each other.

Van loosened his hold on her, catching a glimpse of the two moons watching over his home world. He saw Escaflowne next to them, as still as ever in his resting form; flowers blooming from the moss and weeds that had crept on its armor. He leaned away to look at Hitomi and found her smiling happily at him. His breath hitched as the moonlight caressed her face, flaunting her smooth skin, making her green eyes shimmer, and casting a tempting glint on her supple lips. "Hitomi," he breathed, reveling at her beauty.

"Van," Hitomi replied, marveling at how handsome he was under the moonlight: his chiseled jaw, his sculpted nose, his passionate eyes…

"Hitomi, I love you and I regret not getting you back here sooner," Van said, gently holding her cheek in his calloused hand. "I thought I would understand, that I would accept it if things didn't go our way but…I can't. I just can't."

Hitomi held the hand on her cheek and leaned her head closer to his touch, closing her eyes. "Oh Van, I feel the same. I just can't see myself with anyone other than you. I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier. Remembering you forever… I think it's more like loving you forever," she admitted.

Van smiled and leaned closer to capture her lips. For a moment they tried to forget where they were, what the world around them was doing, and how much time was passing. When Van breathlessly pulled away, he couldn't help but want her more.

"I know this is too early and not in any way romantic but will you, Hitomi Kanzaki, be my queen?" he asked, his voice hoarse with desperation.

Hitomi chuckled, her green eyes glazed with tears. She imagined having him bent on one knee while in the most romantic scenery, offering her a ring and asking for her hand. "Lord Van de Fanel, you have officially ruined my dream wedding proposal," she replied, making Van's heart sink. "...And I love it. I _love_ you. Yes, I would be honored to be your queen."

Van sighed in relief, his lips stretched in a pleased smile before capturing her lips again in a searing kiss and holding her tightly against him. Hitomi wrapped her arms around his neck as his right hand supported her from the end of her spine and his left hand supported the back of her neck. When Van heard Hitomi groan he pulled away: eyes shut, head bowed, breathing ragged. "Hitomi, I'm afraid I won't be able to hold back if we don't stop right now," he said, voice shaky.

Hitomi, breathless herself nodded, understanding what he meant. She herself was losing her sanity – all of her just wanting Van close to her: closer…closer than that searing kiss. Her logic tried to grip her consciousness back, telling her things were going too fast. But at the same time, they had been "seeing" each other for five freaking years and in all those years she had never felt the same for anyone.

No one… _no one else_ will do, she just knew it. She felt it in her gut, like when the pink pendant showed her where to go or where the enemy was. If she had it back, she was sure that it would point only to Van.

Hitomi composed herself, taking a deep breath and smiling with a decision she knew she would never regret no matter what else happened in the future. She opened her eyes, held Van's face in her hands until he opened his eyes to look at her. "Then don't hold back," she said.

Van's scarlet eyes were wide, passion surging back into his chest. "Hitomi," he managed to say before Hitomi herself sealed his lips in a kiss. He succumbed to the gesture and deepened the kiss.

* * *

When Van opened his eyes the next day, he had to blink twice to make sure he wasn't dreaming. He stared at the naked woman sleeping beside him on his four-post bed; her head snuggled over his chest, her arm wrapped over his bare torso, her blonde hair splayed messily over the bed, and the rest of her warming him up from beneath his dark blue sheets.

He leaned his head slightly to the side to watch her sleeping face. How many times had he seen her like this on late evenings when he thought about her? How many times had he wondered if there would ever be a time when her image wouldn't just be there on one side of his bed, but that she would be there right next to him? And now… He smiled, gently brushing a stray lock of hair away from her face.

She was beautiful.

Hitomi scrunched up her nose and Van smirked at how cute it was. She sighed, buried her face further into the crook of his neck before groaning and opening her eyes. She felt the warm pillow below her shudder, Van chuckling at her expression. She blinked, her sleepy vision clearing and revealing Van de Fanel smiling at her.

"Van..?"

"Good morning, Lady Hitomi," he greeted.

Hitomi blushed, remembering what had transpired the night before. She realized she was in the king's quarters, snuggled in the covers with the king of Fanelia – naked.

Van snickered and gave her lips a chaste kiss. "You have no idea how much I wanted to wake up next to you like this," he said. "You really here, not just an image of you."

Hitomi smiled and closed her eyes, his words making her heart flutter. Then she realized what he just said and looked up at him. "Not just an image… Have you been watching me sleep all this time?"

He shrugged his shoulders, not the least bit guilty. "Only when I missed you so bad at night."

"Why Lord Van, I didn't know you were such a pervert," she teased, smiling at him.

His smile grew wider and he moved to hover over his future queen who was giggling now as his right hand playfully caressed her smooth ticklish side. "Why my dear Lady Hitomi, I thought we already established that well last night," he teased, trailing kisses down her neck earning him laughter from her. "Shall I help you remember?" He leaned away to watch her face for an answer.

She bit her lip, trying hard not to smile at his proposal. "You're sure you don't want to have breakfast first?"

"My love, you _are_ breakfast," he said, voice low against her lips.

Hitomi laughed and let him claim her lips for a heated kiss. Her arms slinked over his neck, keeping him close as his arms did the same with her body.

A loud bang broke the kiss. They turned to the side to see the bedroom door slammed open – a lady cat breathlessly standing there with frantic eyes as a cat man tried to hold her arm back.

Van quickly tucked Hitomi's face in his chest hiding her face and the rest of her exposed skin with his own body.

"LORD VAN!" Merle reprimanded, eyes tearful. "How could you?! Who is that whore? I thought when you left, you went to get Hitomi. Why are you there with that…that… HOW COULD YOU?!"

"Merle, I don't think you should say that," Vestris hissed, fear and anxiety clear in his eyes as he looked apologetically at Van. "I'm terribly sorry, Lord Van. Please forgive us."

"NO!" Merle argued. "You said you loved Hitomi! You wouldn't marry anyone else! You said you would _die_ without her!"

Van blushed just as Hitomi snorted below him. He realized she had been trying to hold back her laughter. Van loudly cleared his throat. "Merle, I can explain," he said.

"Explain what?!" Merle furiously snapped, her eyes burning with fury that could have drilled holes on Hitomi if it had lasers.

Hitomi laughed out loud, unable to hold herself back any longer. She leaned away from Van and turned to her side to see Merle. "Good morning, Merle," she greeted, a smile on her lips.

Merle was petrified; her eyes wide and her jaw daring to drop on the floor. "Hi…Hitomi..?"

Hitomi only smiled at her. "It's been a while," she said.

Tears streamed down Merle's eyes. "Hitomi!" she cried, running to the bed and caging Hitomi in a tight embrace. Van leaned away to give them space while Hitomi tried to secure the blanket over her chest. Merle was crying now and Vestris, still on the doorway, was beet red and unable to look inside the room. "Hitomi! Oh Hitomi I thought I'd never see you again! You're here to stay for good right? Please tell me you're staying here for good. Hitomi, you can't leave us again like that, I won't let you!"

Hitomi chuckled and hugged her back. "Oh Merle, I do think I'll be here for a while," she said.

Merle realized that her arms were brushing against bare skin and leaned away to examine her. "You're naked!" she stared at Hitomi. "It wasn't raining last night, was it?" She thought that there wasn't an excuse for Hitomi to lose her clothes since it couldn't have been soaked from rain.

Hitomi gave her a lopsided smile. "Um…About that…"

Merle's eyes traveled to Van who was behind Hitomi now and realized that he _too_ was naked. She gaped at him, more furious than ever at the blushing king. "You… LORD VAN!"

"Okay, that's enough," Vestris said, suddenly behind Merle and restraining her by the torso. He kept his eyes on the wall to avoid looking at the naked couple on the bed. "Breakfast is ready, your majesties. Would you like to have it served here instead of the banquet hall?"

"We'll be in the banquet hall, thank you," Van answered, thankful that Vestris was strong enough to restrain the struggling Merle.

"We will see you later then, my lord. Welcome back, Lady Hitomi. It's an honor to finally meet you," Vestris said before carrying Merle out of the room and shutting the door behind them.

"You better her marry her _right now_ , Lord Van!" Merle's voice echoed from the hall.

Hitomi laughed.

Van sighed and slinked his arms around her waist. "I'm sorry you had to experience that," he said, kissing her bare shoulder.

She chuckled and leaned her head close to his. "It's fine," she said. "I only feel sorry for the woman you end up sleeping with other than me when Merle catches her with you." She also felt relieved that Merle supported her relationship with Van, enough to police over him when she was away.

"As if that would ever happen," Van said, kissing her neck. "You're the only one I slept with and you'll be the only one I'll be sleeping with until I die."

"Oh Van," Hitomi said, turning to face him and kiss his lips. "So much for breakfast huh?"

Van frowned. "We'll continue that later at dinner, my lady," he said smirking.

Hitomi laughed then looked around for her clothes. Just as she was about to loom over the edge of the bed to reach for her dress, Van pulled her back.

"Wait," he said.

Hitomi looked at him with curious eyes. "Yes?"

"I know you gave this to me because it was originally from here but," Van began, taking off the pink pendant dangling across his chest. He offered it to Hitomi. "For me, it's still yours. I wore it because it reminded me of you. And now that you're here with me again, I want to you have it back."

Hitomi smiled and accepted the pendant in her hand. "Van, thank you."

Van picked it up and fixed it around Hitomi's neck from behind her before leaving a lingering kiss on her hair. "Don't worry about your dress. I'll have the servants give you clothes you can use," he said.

Hitomi frowned. "I suddenly feel like a helpless woman," she said.

"I did rip your dress off of you last night so I ought to replace it," Van reasoned.

Hitomi blushed, remembering the incident. "So I guess I won't be wearing a dress with zippers here," she teased.

" _Never_ ," Van replied, making Hitomi laugh. He stood up to dress himself.

* * *

Hitomi smiled at the woman smiling happily back at her: her long blonde hair flowing behind her, tresses trailing down the side of her face to frame it; the top of her deep blue dress resembling a kimono, intricate dragon-like needlework slinking down from her shoulders to her chest and its hem embroidered with shimmering gold thread; her flowing sleeves were long for the formal occasion with its own set of needlework creeping like flowery vines down her sleeves. A long pink striped cloth tied below her bosom in a large bow held the robe so that it flowed freely down her legs to reveal the skirt of the flaxen dress she wore underneath. The pink pendant dangling from her collar glinted under the warm glow of the morning.

She examined the light makeup the attendants applied on her face – gradient brown shadow to emphasize her eyes, a touch of peach to liven her pale cheeks, and a kiss of pink on her lips. Oh! And the layer of powder to conceal the signs of a busy evening the night before, she mused blushing slightly.

Hitomi took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the clothes on her body. It was incredibly heavier than her maid-of-honor dress, but she realized that she liked it more because wearing it meant she was finally home. "A small price to pay," she muttered sighing.

A knock on the door took her attention away from her thoughts.

"Hitomi?" called Merle from beyond the bedroom Van had given her in the castle. Since they weren't married yet, he couldn't officially announce that she would stay in his quarters though Hitomi had a feeling he would find ways to make sure they shared the same bed when evening fell.

She smiled, remembering that Merle insisted she would pick her up after she was dressed for the breakfast banquet with the summit guests. Hitomi learned that the alibi she made up for Aki's question about Van's odd clothes in the reception was somewhat on point: Fanelia was in celebration mode for an alliance summit and sports event, hence the more intricate than usual clothes of its king.

"Come in, Merle," she said.

Merle opened the door to the vast room, revealing the barely touched four post bed adorned with peach and white sheets, the spacious interior that housed a big wardrobe and lounge chairs, the bright open windows with light blue curtains, and the vanity with swirls and embellishments skillfully carved to remind its user of the beauty of dragons. She found Hitomi seated in front of the vanity all dolled up for the banquet and giddily pranced to her side.

"Hitomi! You're so beautiful!" she said hugging the woman tight.

Hitomi chuckled, hugging her back in return. "Thank you," she said. "I heard you helped pick out my dress."

Merle grinned. "And didn't I do a great job?"

Hitomi laughed. "Yes, I am very pleased. You're all grown up, Merle," she said admiring how tall she was, how much curvier her body was, and how her short pink hair was now long and flowing down her back.

Merle cheekily smiled at her. "Of course! You've been away for a long time you know. And I'm so happy that you're back! Those old councilors and advisers will finally shut their trap about Lord Van getting married to someone or something."

Hitomi frowned. "He's been urged to get married," she muttered.

"Yes! A month after you left, they started bugging him to try and _meet_ ladies," Merle explained, taking a seat on the bed. "Then proposals from different merchants and royalties started coming. Lord Van was forging the alliance so he couldn't just dismiss them without properly considering their offers, at least that's what he told me."

Hitomi looked sadly away, suddenly wondering what those women who were offered to be Van's fiancee were like. Were they as beautiful as Millerna? Or more? Did Van like any of them? Even just a bit? "And…Did Van like any of them? Didn't anyone look at all worthy of being queen of Fanelia?"

Merle thought it over, frowning at the ceiling. "Hmm…I admit there were some beautiful ones," she said. "And Lord Van had especially taken notice of blondes with green eyes…"

Hitomi felt her heart sink. And were they there in the banquet? Were they more attractive than her? Hitomi's athletic physique caused her to have lean muscles and her chest to be rather moderate in size. It bothered her the night before when she gave herself to Van, but he didn't seem to complain about it so she forgot how other women's appearance looked better than hers.

Merle noticed the way Hitomi looked anxiously at her lap and smirked. "Well, there _was_ one whom he constantly entertained here in the castle," she said.

Hitomi snapped her head up to look at her; green eyes wide with alarm. "Constantly?"

"Yes, every month," Merle continued, smiling widely at her.

Hitomi frowned. Van didn't tell her anything about that.

Just then, a knock came from the door. "Hitomi?"

Merle smiled widely as Hitomi gasped. "Ooh! Speaking of Lord Van," she said before prancing to the door and opening it. "Can't wait for her downstairs, Lord Van?"

Van stared flustered at Merle, Vestris blinking curiously at her. "M—Merle!" the king stammered.

"Fine, you have three minutes," Merle said walking out the door and hooking her arm around Vestris'. "Be downstairs by then or I'll break the door and drag you out," she warned, eyes narrowed at Van. "No rips on her dress, you hear?"

Merle then dragged Vestris down the hallway and away from the couple before he could say a word.

Van fixed his collar before looking into the room to see Hitomi blushing and snickering at the exchange. He relaxed, smiling at her. "May I come in?"

"Of course, your majesty," Hitomi answered.

Van sighed. "I understand formalities are necessary," he said as he approached her. "But I hope we can forget them when it's just the two of us, unless of course it's for a different purpose."

Hitomi chuckled, knowing what he meant. "I do love saying your name, Van."

"As do I, Hitomi," Van said, leaning down to kiss her lips. He leaned away, resting his forehead against hers. "You're beautiful," he whispered, his deep voice sending pleasant chills down Hitomi's spine.

"You're handsome too," Hitomi said, brushing her fingers on his red collar. Her wore a blue robe over his red stand collar tunic; both with gold needlework adorning the hem and sleeves. A long gold striped cloth fixed his robe by the waist in a knot, letting it flow open and reveal the rest of his long red tunic.

"And three minutes with you is too short," Van sighed.

Hitomi chuckled and slapped his chest. "Van, you pervert!"

Van laughed, leaning away. "I was thinking of keeping you to myself today because you're too beautiful to share with anyone," he said. "Or are you thinking of doing something… _else_ with me," he teased.

Hitomi rolled her eyes. "I'm hungry though."

"I can sneak into the kitchen and steal you a hearty breakfast," Van replied.

"You have duties, Lord Van," she reminded him.

"Ugh! And don't I hate it," he said sighing.

Hitomi laughed and slowly stood up. "Let's go, I'm excited to see everyone," she said.

Van smiled and offered her his arm. She wound her arm around it and allowed him to lead her out of the room, their sides rubbing affectionately as they walked down the hall.

Then Hitomi remembered that one girl Van constantly— _monthly_ entertained in his castle. Who was she, and was she one of the guests in the banquet?


	7. Chapter 7

Hitomi held her breath as she stared at the bustling crowd forming in the banquet hall – tables arranged all over the vast hall, people intricately dressed and chatting with fellow guests, and servants gracefully walking to and from the kitchen placing scrumptious breakfast plates and drinks for each person.

It was the first time she saw the new banquet hall of Fanelia and she had to admit Van did quite a job at making a spacious castle. In her conversations with the servants who helped her dress up, she learned that the kingdom had made a huge leap economic-wise. The former farming nation had ventured into agricultural advancements, capitalized on education, and started earning from tourism.

The dragon preservation and education efforts had particularly earned them huge profits from guests wanting to know more and experience the massive creatures' existence. Fanelia had also been recognized as a nation that opened its arms to a variety of races – beastmen in particular – with Merle being Van's constant companion. Clans alienated and displaced before and after the war journeyed to Fanelia and built their homes there, co-existing with its human inhabitants. Vestris, Hitomi learned, was one of them. The new citizens brought with them new ways of farming and processing harvests; manpower that sped up construction work; and knowledge that helped improve the ancient Fanelian laws. The beastmen clans proved helpful to not only helping Fanelia regain its former glory, but also in raising it to greater heights showing nations the importance of respecting differences and that a conglomerate of races working for a common goal was possible.

People's newfound interests in Draconians and myths also urged Fanelia to create programs and facilities dedicated to sharing what they knew about them, ramping up tourist earnings from traveling historians, academics, and curious guests. And with Van's heroic exploits in the war and active participation in forging the new alliance, Fanelia had gone from a farming nation to a fast-developing center for culture and sustainable technology.

Van felt Hitomi stiffen beside him as they stood on the doorway of the banquet hall. He glanced at her and smirked, seeing how anxious she was as her green eyes watched people she did not know chatter in their tables.

"Relax," he whispered, placing his left hand on her right; the one that grasped his arm tightly.

Hitomi looked up at him – eyes wary. "Sh—Should I really be here?" she whispered. She hadn't been part of the alliance after all. It was like she as crashing the party. Come to think of it, wasn't that what Van did the night before in Yukari and Amano's wedding reception?

Was this payback or karma?

Van chuckled. "You're my future queen," he said. "If there's anyone who has all the right to be here, it's you."

Hitomi blushed and buried her face against his sleeve; a small smile on her lips. Suddenly being called "future queen" made her heart flutter.

"HITOMI!" Merle's voice echoed in the hall, silencing the chatter.

Van scanned the hall, scarlet eyes narrowed. He expected Hitomi's presence to make a commotion but he didn't want it to be _scandalous._ Thanks to Merle, his guests would stare at his future bride and intimidate her more than she already was. Van found the troublemaker standing on a chair on the side of the long dining table where diplomats of Asturia and Freid were seated; Vestris standing next to her, his feet planted on the floor and face palming himself in shame; Millerna and Dryden chucking at Merle's childishness; Allen, Selena, Gaddess, Chid and his adviser, smiling at him.

Van sighed and greeted everyone who looked at them as he led Hitomi to the table.

Hitomi felt hundreds of eyes curiously stare at her, whispers starting here and there as if she was a new girl walking down the hallway of a foreign high school.

"Hitomi? _The_ Hitomi Kanzaki?" she heard some ask in hushed tones to the people next to them. Despite the exchange of pleasantries with Van, none of them directly asked him who she was: just stared at her hoping Van would do the honors and confirm their suspicions. She especially felt the cold stares from the young women in the hall, probably some of those who aspired to be Van's bride.

"The necklace! That's King Van's, is it not?" she heard someone say from a table they passed. "Does this mean he has chosen her as his bride?"

Hitomi blinked, glancing at the pink pendant dangling against her chest. He then glanced up at Van who was exchanging quick greetings with old people in one of the tables they were walking past. Was that why he returned the pendant? To tell everyone that she was his chosen bride?

Van felt her gaze and looked at her with brows raised. "What is it?"

Hitomi turned quickly away, cheeks flushed. She shouldn't overthink things. "N—Nothing."

Van smiled. "I'm sorry if I'm yet to introduce you," he said. "I'll be delivering a quick speech later and I'll introduce you then. It's easier to tell everyone about you that way than do so from one table to another and create inaccurate rumors."

Hitomi nodded at him, understanding what he meant. "I don't really mind," she said.

"Is that why he disappeared last night? To get her?" she heard another muted conversation from a group in the crowd. She blinked, realizing that Van really had run away from an important diplomatic affair just to be with her just as she told Aki.

Did that give him and Fanelia a bad reputation?

Van gave her hand as squeeze before walking to the table where Merle was waving impatiently at them, Vestris thankfully successful at getting her off the chair and standing on the banquet floor.

"What took you two so long?" Merle complained, frowning at Van – her hands on her hips.

"Merle, there are _guests_ ," Vestris hissed, anxiously eyeing the childish lady cat. "Please behave." He turned to Van and Hitomi, and bowed lowly. "I'm very sorry I couldn't stop her, Lord Van, Lady Hitomi. I'll make sure this doesn't happen again."

Dryden laughed. "I don't think it's Merle's behavior that the guests will remember," he said smiling wryly at the Fanelian king and his new guest. "Welcome back, Lady Hitomi Kanzaki of the Mystic Moon!" he announced, earning gasps from the rest of the guests and inciting more curious chatter.

"And you just made it worse," Gaddess commented, snickering.

Dryden winked playfully at him in reply.

Van sighed. "I'll be introducing her to everyone later anyway," he said. With that, a round of friendly greetings and welcoming pleasantries began from the rest of the group. Millerna even stood up and gave Hitomi a hug. Decorum be damned, the Asturian princess mused. Hitomi was her friend. Make it known that Asturia supported the obvious match the Fanelian king had chosen for himself!

"Oh Hitomi, it's been so long!" she said as Hitomi hugged her back. "I missed you."

"I missed you too, Millerna," Hitomi said before turning to everyone in the table. "All of you! Oh dear, Prince Chid? Is that really you?" she asked, eyeing the young man with blonde hair looking happily at her. She noticed how long his limbs have grown, how handsome his features had become, and how much charm he had inherited from his biological father Allen Schezar. "You're all grown up!"

The prince blushed. "Thank you, Hitomi," he said, his voice deep and no longer the squeaky childish one. "You've become quite a lady yourself."

It was Hitomi's turn to blush.

Gaddess loudly cleared his throat and playfully nudged Van. "Careful, Prince Chid here has broken quiet a lot of maiden hearts," he teased.

"I have done no such thing," Prince Chid defended, cheeks scarlet.

Everyone in the group laughed, his adviser sighing. "Prince Chid has dismissed quite a number of marriage proposals," he explained to Hitomi.

"I see, quite the lady killer too huh," Hitomi said, glancing at Allen who smiled apologetically at her.

"Van's broken his fair share of hearts too!" Selena interjected smiling at Hitomi.

Hitomi blinked. _Van?_ Well…Selena and Van were friends so Hitomi supposed it was a given that she addressed him by name, but somehow, she felt uneasy about it. Was it because of how lady-like she was since the last time she saw her? Selena had grown her blond hair long, and kept it held by a purple bow in a ponytail. She wore a beautiful pink dress that emphasized the curve of her waist. And Hitomi bitterly realized the charms Allen had was also inherited by his sister. Looking at Selena now, no one would guess she was once the blood thirsty Delandau.

"Oh I'm sorry," Selena said. "It's _Lord_ Van, isn't it?" she corrected, blue eyes without a hint of mischief.

Gaddess turned to Hitomi. "She's been used to addressing Lord Van informally since they spar every month," he explained.

Hitomi stiffened. "Every month?"

"Yes!" Selena excitedly answered, like a child admitting she loved a favorite toy. Hitomi realized that despite looking so lady-like, she still had a hint of genuine innocence, like she was just going though puberty or starting adolescence. "I like sword fighting with Lord Van."

Hitomi blinked. On second thought, you _would_ still think she was once the blood-thirsty Delandau who was obsessed with fighting Van in a sword battle. Something clicked then and she immediately turned to Merle who was cheekily looking away as if her little prank had been discovered. "That was Selena, wasn't it?" she snapped at her.

Everyone on the table looked curiously at Hitomi.

"What do you mean?" Van asked, puzzled at the outburst.

"Merle said you consistently entertained one lady here in the castle – _monthly_ entertained her to be exact – while I was in the Mystic Moon," Hitomi explained.

Van blinked, not quite understanding why the statement had to be taken seriously. "Yes, Selena's a frequent guest. She studies different sword techniques here and spars with me regularly," he replied.

Merle gave Hitomi a cheeky grin, making the rest of the people in the table snicker and Hitomi furiously glare at her. Vestris himself had his eyes narrowed at the lady cat beside him. Only Van and Selena stared innocently at the scene.

"Now this brings back memories," Millerna commented before taking her seat next to Dryden.

"You're lucky there are guests here, Merle," Hitomi warned, frowning at the lady cat.

"But Hitomi, I only said the truth," Merle said, feigning innocence and hiding behind Vestris.

"I'm not protecting you on this one, Merle," Vestris said, crossing his arms over his furry white chest.

Merle frowned at him. "I thought you loved me!" she complained.

Vestris froze, his face and ears turning red and the rest of the group curiously started at them.

Hitomi blinked as the others burst into laughter, Van included. "So you two _are_ together," she said, confirming her suspicions out loud. "I mean, I've been meaning to ask but we hadn't really had time to talk that much. Congratulations, you two!"

"Thank you!" Merle said just as Vestris shyly said "No, my lady."

Merle stepped away and stared aghast at Vestris. "You're _denying_ me?!"

Vestris was scarlet and panicking, hands raised in defense. "That—That's not… Y—You said we're not like that yet! "

"Then what are we? _Friends?_ " Merle snapped.

"I...I don't know! You never said you liked me back," Vestris reasoned, his ears burning and sweat making his nose grow cold.

Dryden laughed. "Now there's a scandal," he teased.

"L—Lord Van, I can explain!" Vestris said, fearing for his life turning to Van.

The Fanelian king bit his lip from snickering and loudly cleared his throat to pretend that the concern was not a laughing matter. "Explain this to me after breakfast."

"Y—yes, my lord," Vestris replied, bowing by the waist in shame before turning to Merle. "I'm not letting you take back your word, Merle," he warned, frowning at her.

" _My_ word? You said we weren't together!" Merle complained, blushing now.

"And you said we were so we _are_ ," Vestris said, grasping her hand in his.

"Get a room!" Gaddess teased, making everyone in the group laugh except for the bickering cat caouple.

In all honesty, Van knew the ruckus was inappropriate with all the guests in the room but with Hitomi there with him, it felt more like a reunion among friends and he just couldn't stop himself from enjoying the moment. Hitomi herself had been more relaxed than when they walked inside the banquet hall.

After catching up on how the rest of the Crusade was chatting about meeting Millerna's little girl sometime soon, Van led Hitomi to their side of the long table so they could officially welcome everyone for breakfast. He took his seat at the head, offering Hitomi the seat on his right – the rightful place for a Fanelian queen – which sparked another wave of hushed conversations in the crowd of guests.

After the wines were served, Van stood up, taking the attention of everyone and began his speech thanking everyone for attending the banquet the night before and encouraging them to enjoy the various activities scheduled in the following days.

"I apologize for going away so suddenly last night, as many of you have noticed," Van continued. "It was for a matter of great importance to me," he said, turning to Hitomi who blushed. "So without further ado, I introduce everyone to the future queen of Fanelia – my fiancee – Lady Hitomi Kanzaki of the Mystic Moon."

Gasps echoed around the hall, making Hitomi wince. Van held out his hand to her, asking her to stand. She shyly took it and stood up to face everyone; her cheeks and ears flushed as she smiled at them.

The Asturian and Freid delegates enthusiastically clapped their hands, Merle urging the stunned Fanelian advisers to do the same from her seat at the long table. The applause grew to envelop the entire hall: an official acknowledgement and acceptance of their surprise engagement.

"About damn time!" Dryden teased, earning a nudge from his wife.


	8. Chapter 8

Hitomi couldn't believe how busy the day was.

After breakfast, Van had to leave her in Merle and Vestris' care – not that she minded – because of his busy schedule in the summit. While with Merle and Vestris, Hitomi reoriented herself with the new Fanelia. Clad in a pale yellow dress she borrowed from one of her personal servants to avoid unnecessary attention, the cat couple took her to the market which was buzzing with tourists and different stalls. Van gave her enough money to spend in case she wanted anything but she made sure not to touch it unless it was necessary. Merle and Vestris also treated her to local snacks: some she enjoyed and some she realized she would have to learn to get used to.

The people had been warm, just as warm as she remembered. They welcomed the guests and gave them the best hospitality they could offer. Some of them remembered her but thankfully kept their mouth shut about who she was. They stared at her and Merle shushed them before they could react. Then they smiled excitedly at her, no doubt already hearing the news about her engagement, and shook her hand.

She felt awkward at it at first but she realized it was something she would have to learn to live with if she was going to stay in Fanelia. So she shook their hands back, and made sure to be friends with them like Merle and Vestris were. She also started small talks with them which helped her learn more about Fanelia's history and culture.

"Oh no, they're here," Merle said, suddenly eyeing something in the main road of the marketplace. Vestris followed her gaze, standing protectively in front of Hitomi. They were seated in one of the street food stalls munching on a pastry that was apparently a staple in Fanelia.

"Who's here?" Hitomi asked, craning her neck to see past Vestris. She noticed the crowd in the market make way for a group of people wearing white robes. They were walking in lines of three and seemingly chanting with pink beads around their necks. "Who are they?"

"Mystic Monks," Vestris answered. "We need to leave. They know Merle and me. If they see us with you, they'll easily put two and two together." He grabbed Hitomi's free hand, Merle's on his other one, before leading them away from the area as fast as he can.

"Mystic Monks?" Hitomi asked as they squeezed into the crowd.

"Hitomi Kanzaki followers," Merle cheekily explained.

The blond snapped her head to Merle, green eyes wide with shock. "They're what?"

Vestris stopped under the shade of an old tree far from the commotion in the marketplace but still within sight of the town center. Hitomi slumped next to an overgrown root and Merle took a seat next to her while Vestris remained standing and on alert in front of them – sharp gold eyes scanning their surroundings. Suddenly his six-pack abs and the well-toned arms accompanied by his lean agile physique seemed scary.

Hitomi realized Vestris not only Merle's boyfriend-babysitter. He also functioned as a bodyguard.

"So these Mystic Monks," Hitomi said, turning to Merle. "How did they become my followers?"

"Well," Merle began, her tail flicking playfully behind her. "You know how stories about you and Lord Van became popular after the war, right? Well, a group of people apparently thought praying to you would continue to bring peace to Gaea. They even planned to make a temple for you!"

Hitomi frowned. Somehow it didn't sit well with her, not just because she didn't see herself as someone anyone should worship. It just…gave her an odd feeling. Like something bad would happen. These people were looking at her a certain way – as a goddess that she wasn't. What if seeing her for real shatters their expectation? What if they see her return to Gaea as a bad omen? What if they see marrying Van as an un-goddess-like thing to do?

What if they lash out at Van?!

"Please don't worry," Vestris said, making Hitomi look up at him. His gold eyes were calm now and his lips stretched to a reassuring smile. "I won't let anything happen to you and Lord Van. You have my word."

"And mine!" Merle said, jumping in front of her with a wide toothy smile.

Hitomi blinked, stunned for a moment, before bursting into chuckles. "Oh you two," she said. "Thank you," she said rubbing the back of Merle's ear, making her purr…which looked a bit odd because she was already a lady cat. She glanced at Vestris and noticed how he smiled affectionately at Merle, like a real faithful boyfriend. Hitomi inwardly admitted she was a fan of theirs already.

"So when is your wedding?" Merle asked after Hitomi stopped rubbing the back of her ears.

"We haven't really talked about that," Hitomi answered, shyly looking away. "It's still a busy time. Maybe when things calm down, we'll talk about it."

Merle frowned. "That's no good. We need to plan it now so we can buy the flowers, choose the dress, and ooh I would love to see pink flowers in the wedding! I'll go to the flower shop for pink flowers. And I'll go to the seamstress and have your measurements. You'll have a long really long white veil and a dress with a very long train!"

"Merle, don't you think the bride should decide on those things?" Vestris asked.

Merle narrowed her eyes at him. "Can't I help Hitomi?"

"That's not what I mean," Vestris said, smiling patiently at her. "I just want to make sure Lady Hitomi also gets what she wants – the color of flower she likes, or the style of dress she wants to wear. I'll be happy to make sure you have pink flowers, a long white veil, and a dress with a very long train for _your_ wedding."

Merle's eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Of course!" Vestris replied. "I want nothing else but your happiness, Merle."

Hitomi smiled. She could clearly see the love and devotion Vestris had for Merle. They were so cute together that she wanted to see them get married. It reminded her of when she third-wheeled for Yukari and Amano.

She sighed, wondering how they were doing. Did they enjoy their honeymoon? How did her mother explain her disappearance to her father and brother? And what did she and Van talk about that night? She should really ask Van later when she sees him again.

After a few more minutes of observing the cute banters between Vestris and Merle, the three headed back to the castle; sneaking into the kitchen to avoid attention from the guards. She was then dressed up for lunch in the banquet hall. Despite being seated next to Van, Hitomi realized the meal hadn't satisfied her what with all the political pleasantries and conversation going on the table. Van had seemed rather spent himself so she opted not to chat too much with him.

The afternoon was dedicated to watching the sports events with Millerna and Selena; Vestris and Merle still with them. They spent most of their time in the jousting events where Allen competed on Asturia's behalf. Selena had been itching to grab a sword and join the games, reminding Hitomi of Dilandau. She glanced at Millerna, wondering what they should do as Selena stood from the audience box they were in yelling like a hyped-up Crusader at the fighting knights below them. Millerna only gave her a sad smile, saying Allen hadn't permitted her to join any official events for fear of letting "Dilandau" loose but that they had an agreement that if she behaved well enough for the entire year, she would be allowed to do so in the next sports events.

The girls went back to the castle after Allen earned his place in the semi-finals. They went through another wardrobe change, this time for dinner. Hitomi wore a similar style of clothing as she wore for breakfast but in a shade of red matching Van's afternoon attire.

Hitomi noticed that Van had grown more tired as he took his seat at the head of the long table. He was still on alert and cordial, but she knew by the way his eyes seemed to droop ever so slightly that he had been itching to have a nap. She reached out for his hand under the table which earned her a curious glance from him. She gave him a reassuring smile and his hand an affectionate squeeze.

Van sighed and smiled back, understanding that he just had a few minutes more to spend in the banquet hall before he could get some rest with Hitomi next to him.

The minutes unfortunately turned to an hour or so with all the chatter from the diplomats and the pleasantries Van had to exchange with the guests as they walked out of the room to retire. The king kept his arm behind her, holding her by the waist without a care for how the guests might see it as inappropriate since they hadn't officially tied the knot yet.

As the two reached the hallway to the bedrooms, Hitomi turned to face Van and kissed his cheek goodnight making him blush and smile. She then walked to her bedroom door and pushed it open.

Van realized what was happening and blinked, suddenly feeling awake. "What are you doing?" he asked, missing the warmth of her body against his arm.

She turned to blink back at him. "Um…I'm sleeping?"

" _There?_ "

Hitomi stared at him for a moment, wondering if he was serious. His scarlet eyes just stared back at her like she wasn't making sense. Hitomi snickered. "Isn't this my room?"

"Y—Yeah but…" Van scratched his head and shyly looked away, reminding her of that young passionate prince she knew. "Do you…like it there?"

Hitomi smiled, knowing what he was trying to hint on. "I do," she answered.

"Oh…I see," Van said with a hint of dejection.

Hitomi closed the door slightly. "Is there something you need, my lord?" she teased.

Van looked up at her, noted the smirk on her lips, and frowned – cheeks flushed under the dim light of the torches in the hallway. "You're being cruel," he said, lips in a childish pout.

Hitomi chuckled. "I don't know what you're talking about," she said.

Van smirked. He pulled her by the waist, making her bounce off his chest and leaned his forehead against hers. "My lady, please don't play with me when I missed you so much," he whispered.

Hitomi giggled. "I heard the council earlier this morning though," she said. "They said it's scandalous that I'm with you when we haven't gone through the official ceremony."

"I already told them we're getting married," Van said, leaning down to kiss her cheek. "Once we're done with all this, we're going to talk to them for the arrangements. Of course, the two of us will plan it out first," he said before leaving a trail of kisses down the side of her neck.

Hitomi groaned. "My lord, we're in the hallway," she whispered.

"Then shall we retire to our quarters, my lady?" he said, smirking against the crook of her neck and making sure his warm breath caressed her skin.

"Our quarters?" Hitomi asked, trying to make him explain what he meant.

Van grinned. "Our quarters it is," he said, taking her in his arms. She yelped, surprised at the gesture. She wrapped her arms around his neck for fear of falling before he walked back to his bedroom.

* * *

Van buried his nose against the side of Hitomi's head as she lay asleep beside him.

He could sense the morning peeking into his bedroom window but he didn't want to wake up and start the day. The summit and the sports events exhausted him. And whenever he felt tired of hearing the constant treaty arguments from the diplomats, his mind strayed to Hitomi – how she was doing, where she was, and if she missed him just as much as he did. He suddenly longed for the short visions he had of her. Now that she was in Gaea, he couldn't see an image of her when he missed her.

At least he could be with her after all the meetings were done, sleep beside her and wake up next to her. He could hold her and kiss her – just be with her.

Hitomi sighed, squinting her eyes before snuggling closer to him. It made him smile. He tightened his hold on her waist and kissed her forehead.

"Good morning," she greeted, still sleepy.

"Good morning," Van greeted back.

"Still busy today?" Hitomi asked.

"Unfortunately," Van answered. Opening his eyes to gaze at the beautiful woman in his arms.

Hitomi sighed and opened her green eyes to match his. He marveled at the way they sparkled. "I came at a bad time, didn't I?"

Van smiled. "On the contrary, you being here now made it easier to announce our engagement to everyone."

Hitomi chuckled. "And how did that go? Didn't you upset anyone? Any girls in particular?" She remembered noticing some incredulous stares from women in the banquet when they concluded breakfast and intensely curious stare from merchant and diplomats.

Van snorted. "I don't really care," he said, hovering over her so he could look at her better. "There's no one else I'd want to be with. If they have a problem with it, they would just have to deal with it."

Hitomi rolled her eyes. "But you work with them, don't you? Fanelia needs them."

"Not to the extent that I'd live my life the way they want me to," Van said. "Have you forgotten that my mother is Draconian?"

Hitomi laughed, realizing he was right. She was worrying over Van's reputation if he married her when his own father broke the rules to marry his mother. She leaned up and kissed his lips. "Do you think they'll approve of us? Your family, I mean."

"Well," Van said, resting his elbow on his pillow to support his weight. "I don't see why they wouldn't. Folken met you and you've been friendlier with him than I was before he passed. And you've spoken to my mother in a vision, right?"

Hitomi sighed, looking away. "Yes but…this is marriage."

Van gazed at her for a moment and realized he had the same concern. "Tonight," he began. "Let's go back to the Mystic Moon."

Hitomi stared at him. "Tonight? Aren't you going to be too tired?" She had a sneak peak of the schedule for the summit and events that day: attending another series of meetings, observing the final rounds of the sports events, and facilitating the conclusion of the celebrations. She was sure he would be more tired later than he had been the night before.

Van smiled. "I'll be fine," he said. "Besides, meeting your family and asking their permission to marry you is more important to me."

Hitomi's green eyes went wide; her cheeks flushed. "Permission? Van are you going to meet my family to ask for my hand?"

Van only smirked and locked his lips with hers. He remembered the conversation he had with Hitomi's mother the night he went back to the Mystic Moon to get his fiancée. He told her his intention to marry Hitomi and make her happy for the rest of his life. In exchange for letting him take her back with him to Gaea, Hitomi's mother asked him to prepare himself to meet her husband – Hitomi's father – and formally ask for Hitomi's hand again.

Now to make sure Hitomi doesn't see the ring before he presents it to her.


	9. Chapter 9

Van was nervous but not because of his meetings with the Gaean diplomats.

The Fanelian king had just finished his first meeting for the day and told the attendants and counselors trailing him to give him some time to freshen up before lunch. After washing his face with cold water, he stared at his reflection in the mirror and wondered how he would convince Hitomi's father for her hand without freaking him out with his sudden appearance and making him believe he could be trusted despite living in a dimension different from theirs.

The idea of facing the wrath of a father earnestly protecting his daughter from a man trying to court his daughter was scary enough to make him sweat bullets. Convincing the father to give his only daughter away to a man he didn't even know was in a romantic relationship with his grown up little girl?

"Worse than slaying dragons," Van muttered, remembering his nerve-wrecking encounter with Hitomi's mother.

Truthfully, he wanted to meet Hitomi's family. He wanted to thank them for Hitomi: for her existence, for who she was, and who she had become. Making Hitomi his wife meant they would be family, something that inwardly made him happy because he had longed to be part of one again, so it was only right that he personally expressed his honest intentions to them.

Van looked back at the conversation she had with the Hitomi's mother.

"If you're planning to take her, I'm not allowing it," the woman said, eyeing him so sternly that he felt like he had shrunk in height.

"I… I know don't seem to be someone you can trust Hitomi with because of what happened these past five years," Van said, keeping his eyes on the woman's. "But I love your daughter, and there's nothing I want more than make it up to her and show her just how much she means to me. Please give me a chance to prove my love for her."

The woman raised her brows, seemingly taken aback by his forwardness. He didn't care though. He couldn't just leave without her: not after those dreadfully lonely five years.

"I admit that I wavered in the past years," he went on, courage suddenly bubbling from his chest. "I thought I could let her be with someone from here – someone who comes from the same home and beliefs as her. Someone who can hopefully understand her and love her like I do, if not more. Tonight, honestly, I thought it was her wedding. And when I imagined her standing next to another man whom she would spend the rest of her life with. I couldn't bear it. I just had to be here. I wanted to take her away. I want to be the one to make her happy for the rest of my life. I want to be the one standing next to her when she needs support."

Hitomi's mother stared at him for a moment before smirking. "What is your intention then, if I let you take her with you tonight?"

Van blinked. He really hadn't thought it through. He just wanted to see her and runaway with her back to Gaea. What would he do after that? Then it hit him. Of course! "Mrs. Kanzaki, I would like to ask for your daughter's hand in marriage."

Hitomi's mother only looked at him which made him sweat and wonder if he was too forward about it. To his surprise, she burst into chuckles.

"You're sure you want my daughter to rule your country with you?" she asked.

"I want no one else, Mrs. Kanzaki," he answered.

She took a deep breath. "Very well," she said. "I will let you take Hitomi with you but on one condition."

"Anything, Mrs. Kanzaki," Van replied without a second thought.

Hitomi's mother smiled. "Anything, you say? Hm…"

Van swallowed, realizing that he might have made a mistake. What if she told him not to see Hitomi again?

"Have dinner with us and ask my husband for Hitomi's hand," she said instead. "I'm going to help explain who you are but the rest is up to you so you've got some convincing to do."

Van remembered gaping at the woman for a moment before smiling widely in relief. "Thank you, Mrs. Kanzaki!" he said, bowing his head low in gratitude.

Van sighed at the memory and walked out of the washroom. He still had twenty-five minutes of free time to spare before the lunch banquet so he headed out to the jousting arena to see how Allen was doing. He caught Allen's match where the knight won his place in the finals after a good fight. He decided to walk to the banquet with Allen and catch up with him a bit, maybe ask for advice on facing his future in-laws?

After exchanging pleasantries, the two men walked side-by-side to the banquet hall.

"I'm happy that you're finally tying the knot, Lord Van," Allen said. It was a rare opportunity for Van to walk alone without advisers or diplomats hounding him so they were relieved to find each other down the narrow halls that served as a shortcut to the hall. "Five years is a long time to be apart and you've both grown to be good people. You two deserve to be happy together."

"Thank you, Sir Allen," Van said. "I still regret not getting her back earlier. If I hadn't second guessed myself so much, she wouldn't have had to be sad all those years."

"With all due respect, I think you both needed time to mature in a leisurely pace," Allen replied. "The war forced both of you to grow up too fast with the constant battles, expectations, and uncertainty around you. That time apart was what you needed to take your time and recognize how much you both need each other. Just as Dryden and Millerna have done for themselves."

Van glanced at the blonde knight. Sometimes, he wondered if Allen still had feelings for Hitomi. Looking at him though, walking next to him with a pleased smile on his lips, he couldn't even see the Allen that once indirectly threatened him to keep away from the Mystic Moon girl he was planning to marry.

Allen noticed his stare and turned a curious look at Van. "Yes, Lord Van?"

"You never…tried to move on," Van said, realizing that the last woman he seemed to have fallen for was Hitomi. After that, he hadn't heard anyone he had been involved with: just how he had been trying to raise Selena.

Allen blinked before realizing what the king meant. He smiled then. "To be honest," he began, looking at the direction they were headed. "At first, I was a bit jealous. That was after the war and before you sent Hitomi back. Just a hint, not quite enough to warrant a grudge. To me, that meant…marrying Hitomi back then would have caused a disaster for both of us. The truth was that I was seeing Selena in Hitomi. The thought of losing that Selena in her made me overly possessive and hasty. It wasn't until I reunited with Selena that I realized it wasn't Hitomi who I needed to be with, it was my sister. I was being unfair to Hitomi. When I finally understood it, that bit of jealousy turned into relief and gratitude. I was thankful that you two finally found the courage to be with each other even if it meant being apart again.

Allen turned to Van. "And now, you're getting married too!"

Van smiled. "Aren't you lonely though?" Even though Allen had been a rival of his once, the knight had become one of the friends he valued the most not only because of the experience they shared in the war but because of the bond that they maintained in rebuilding their respective nations. Allen had given him tips and advice on organizing Fanelia's new line of defense, while Van had given him points about how to care for Selena from his experience of raising Merle. So he couldn't help but worry that his friend felt lonely for being a tad left out in the love department.

Allen chuckled. "Well I did hide a little something from all of you," he said. "There's this girl. Do you remember when Selena went missing that first time I left her alone for work?"

Van recalled the incident. Selena was found by the time the news reached him. Apparently, Allen's sister snuck out of boredom and was found safe and cozy in one of the humble shops in Asturia.

"I had the shop owner, Lilia, nurse Selena these past seven months when I'm away, not that my sister still requires that much attention. They've become friends, you see, so I ask her to stay with her when I need to escort Dryden or Millerna on a trip outside of Asturia. Even though I just pay her to care for my sister since it keeps her away from her livelihood, she goes the extra mile to take care of me like making sure I ate or cooking dinner, or keeping up with the house chores."

Van smirked. "And why are you only telling me this now?"

Allen's smile was replaced by a worried frown. "I… I haven't really tried to approach her in a…romantic sense."

Van stopped and gawked at Allen. "The Great Allen Schezar, a natural charmer of so many women, and you haven't made a move on her?"

Allen paused and looked at Van, his face flushed. "I haven't even _tried_ ," he said. "I'm just afraid she would leave if I did."

Van crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm no expert on this, but from what Merle taught me about women, they don't go the extra mile for just about anyone," he said. "You probably own a special spot there in her heart or else, she wouldn't care for you that much."

Allen sighed. "I want that to be true, trust me," he said. "It's just that…with her…everything I know about pleasing women just seem to make no sense. When I complement her, she brushes it off so casually. When I try to tease her, she teases me back like a friend in a harmless innocent banter. It frustrates me to no end! And it also hurts my pride. She's quite sure of herself and she's so intellectual that when I catch her and Selena talking, it's like a leisurely conversation among men."

"So Selena likes her a lot," Van noted.

"She adores her," Allen confirmed. "She likes having her with her when I'm not around. She even suggested that she live with us for good."

Van smiled. Perhaps Selena had seen the attraction and was subtly trying to get them together. "And..?"

"Lilia said she couldn't because she had other things to do," Allen dejectedly sighed. "She still keeps the small shop in town because she likes working for herself."

"You don't try to visit her there?" Van prodded.

"I do! And she treats me like one of her usual customers," Allen said. "Nothing more."

Van bit his lip from chuckling. He couldn't believe Allen, who was always so smooth with the ladies, was having lady issues. "Have you asked Selena for help?"

"Is that a good idea?" Allen asked.

"Well, she _is_ a girl," Van said. "And she's friends with her. Maybe if you two team up, you'll get somewhere at least."

Allen sighed. "There was this one time, I asked Lilia what type of guy she liked."

"And what did she say?" Van asked.

Allen gave him a miserable look. "A monk, a traditional bald monk."

Van burst into laughter then. "You've got some hair chopping to do, Allen."

Allen winced. "I love her so much I'm so close to resigning from my post and doing just that."

Van's laughter filled the hallway only to be interrupted by one of his servants running anxiously toward them.

"Lord Van! The Mystic Monks are rallying in the castle square!" the panic-stricken young man Van remembered was Pali said. "They're asking for an audience with Lady Hitomi!"

Allen and Van felt a rush of worry in their veins. The Mystic Monks had been a peaceful group since it began after the war though their radical and fanatic views did seem disturbing for most people in Gaea. They were officially deemed too into their fanaticism when they tried to build a temple in Fanelia honoring Hitomi, which Van successfully halted after a grueling series of negotiations.

"Where is Hitomi?" Van snapped, his head pounding at the thought that she was in danger.

"Vestris just got them back inside before the monks noticed them," Pali answered. "Lady Hitomi insisted to see the commotion from the balcony."

Van and Allen immediately sprinted to the direction of the balcony overlooking the town square; the king's scarlet eyes burning with a combination of fury and anxiety. Today of all days, the Mystic Monks made a scene!

They found a trembling Merle standing next to a frozen Hitomi at the balcony entryway; the blond clad in a green commoner dress which meant she was outside when the commotion started. Vestris stood in front of her – his body rigid and ready to attack. He kept Hitomi from getting into the line of sight of the people below.

"Hitomi," Van called as he approached them, Merle looking at him with fear in her eyes.

They could hear the cries of the monks below, chanting Hitomi's name like they were calling for a judgement to be passed. It sent chills down his spine.

"Hitomi," Van called again, this time touching her shoulder to get her attention. She yelped before turning to face him and the sight of her broke his heart. Her green eyes were wet with tears.

"Van," she said, almost in a whisper. "They're asking me to tell the future. They think I'm here again because another war is bound to happen."

Van clenched his free hand. He knew exactly what Hitomi was thinking – that coming back and marrying him would bring harm to Gaea. He took a deep breath and pulled her against his chest in a tight embrace; his eyes glaring coldly at the balcony.

"I can have Asturian knights help control them," Allen offered.

Hitomi shook her head against the crook of Van's neck. "No," she said before raising her head and drying the tear stains on her face: her green eyes alive with a new-found strength.

Allen was surprised to see the determination in Van's eyes reflected in Hitomi's as they glanced at each other before the Fanelian king nodded in agreement.

Hitomi turned to face the balcony and told Vestris to let her pass. The cat man glanced at Van for permission. His king replied with a nod. Vestris stepped back, hand quickly grabbing Merle's as he stood beside her. Hitomi walked out to the balcony, Van standing next to her.

Allen smiled. He could definitely see the them ruling over Fanelia and welcoming its golden age together.


End file.
